As the Miami Heat prepare to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second game of their home stand, the talk of the town has been on head coach Erik Spoelstra who received a major contract extension. He spoke to the media before Wednesday night's game to talk about the news, what the extension means to him, and more.
The contract extension Spoelstra received from the Heat is an eight-year deal, worth more than $120 million dollars according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. That number makes it “the most committed money in North American coaching history” as it goes beyond the NBA. Spoelstra said that it is a “very humbling” experience to be able to have that “continuous stability.”
“It's very humbling to be able to have that kind of continuous stability. And then basically for the staff that we can wrap our minds around the foreseeable future,” Spoelstra said. “Every franchise in pro sports throws those kinds of terms like stability, family, consistency, continuity. Everybody throws that out there but very few actually execute that.”
Miami Heat HC Erik Spoelstra talks about his contract extension and says he’s very grateful for people like Pat Riley, Mickey Arison, etc. #HEATCulture
"It's very humbling to have that kind of continuing stability." pic.twitter.com/3t0NUtoAdH
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 10, 2024
Spoelstra talks about his relationship with Pat Riley and more
Spoelstra would go on to say to the media that he is grateful for multiple people within the Heat organization like the Arison family who owns the team and especially Pat Riley. The basketball legend in Riley passed the torch to Spoelstra in 2008 to be the head coach of the Heat and the rest was history.
“That's why I'm just incredibly grateful for their Arison family, Mickey and Nick, Andy, and then, obviously, my relationship with Pat [Riley]. Outside of my parents, Pat is the biggest mentor I've ever had in my life. This is a unique position to be a head coach in any professional sport, and I just really value that Pat understands that,” Spoelstra said. “Because he's done it before, and he's guided me through all the lands of this business, the good and the bad, and everything in between. He's helped guide me through that as an incredible mentor and I'm just forever grateful for his support and guidance.”
Spoelstra recounted a story of his father working for the Portland Trail Blazers original owner in Larry Weinberg and how much he admired him. His father would compare Weinberg to the Arison family and said to never leave them.
Spoelstra talks about being the “caretaker” for the Heat
At this point, it doesn't need to be said how integral Spoelstra has been to Miami's success as he has led them to two championships, six NBA Finals appearances, and much more. Another aspect of signing this deal was the “great responsibility” of being the “caretaker” of the famed Heat culture and the history he has created with the team.
“I grew up in the NBA business. So I understand how unique that is. And that's why I feel a great responsibility to be a caretaker for this culture now and moving forward, it's a unique responsibility that is deep in my blood,” Spoelstra said. “Even my coaching staff, we've been together for so long, we've been in the trenches through great times, but we've also had some, some tough times, you know, tough years, but that's what made us grow even closer, where we can really trust each other.”
Spoelstra looking into the future of being 60 year old head coach
In terms of the deal being an eight-year extension, the 53-year old head coach will be 60 coaching in the NBA. When that was posed to Spoelstra, he said that while he hasn't “thought that far ahead,” he poked fun and saying that statement took him back and expressing “I find that humbling, I still view myself as a young guy in this profession.”
“I haven't thought that far ahead. I just want to take this responsibility to be a caretaker like several others. That's what makes the Miami Heat so unique with the Arisons and Pat, is the fact that there are a lot of caretakers,” Spoelstra said. “There's a lot of people that feel exactly how I feel. We feel a responsibility. We feel it intensely in our soul, to make sure that things are operating the way that they have been, and that we're progressing it and making it contemporary to the modern league.”
Miami Heat HC Erik Spoelstra talking about being the head coach of an NBA team at the age of 60 with the contract. Says there have been a lot of “WOW” moments in the last 48 hours.
“I find that humbling, I still view myself as a young guy in this profession.” #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/LiiiqcTndS
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 10, 2024
There is no doubt that Spoelstra staying in Miami just feels right for fans and everybody in the NBA world. Spoelstra has made countless memories with the Heat and it seems like there is a clear road for countless more in the future.
The Heat are 21-15 on the season which puts them fifth in the Eastern Conference. They will have three more games in the home stand, but their next 12 of 17 will also be inside the Kaseya Center starting Wednesday night against Oklahoma City.
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