Erik Spoelstra

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Lore & Background

Spoelstra played college basketball with the Portland Pilots before playing professionally and coaching in Germany. He served as assistant coach and director of scouting for the Heat from 2001 to 2008, during which time the team won the 2006 NBA Finals. Spoelstra was promoted to head coach in the 2008–09 season. The Heat have made six NBA Finals appearances during his tenure, winning consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013, becoming the first Asian American head coach in the four major North American sports leagues to win a championship.

In Their Own Story

The 2010–11 season tested Spoelstra's resolve. After a rocky 9–8 start, frustration mounted; Chris Bosh claimed players wanted to "chill," and LeBron James famously bumped into him during a timeout. Yet, the team rallied to reach the Finals, losing in six games to Dallas. Undeterred, Spoelstra guided the Heat back-to-back to championships. In 2012, overcoming a 3–2 deficit against Boston and an injury to Chris Bosh, they defeated Oklahoma City for their first title under his watch. The following year was historic: Spoelstra coached the Eastern Conference All-Stars while leading Miami through a record-breaking 27-game winning streak from February 3 to March 27, 2013. That season culminated in a seven-game victory over San Antonio, where he became the first Asian American head coach to win an NBA championship.

Reader's Guide

Spoelstra was born in Evanston, Illinois, to Jon Spoelstra and Elisa Celino. He attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, and played college basketball at the University of Portland. He was hired as the Heat's video coordinator in 1995, later became an assistant coach, and was promoted to head coach in April 2008. He led the Heat to the NBA Playoffs in his first year as head coach, despite the team's league-worst record of 15-67 the previous season. The Heat, however, were defeated in seven games by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Spoelstra's team returned to the postseason a year later, but lost again in the first round to the Boston Celtics in five games. After the free agent acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010, Spoelstra led the Heat to the 2011 NBA Finals, losing to the Dallas Mavericks. He then led the Heat to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Did You Know?

• Spoelstra is the first Asian American head coach in NBA history.
• He won his first NBA championship as an assistant coach in 2006.
• Spoelstra wore number 30 in high school and college in honor of Terry Porter.
• He was on the court when Hank Gathers collapsed and died during a 1990 WCC tournament game.