Erik Jon Celino Spoelstra (/ˈspoʊlstrə/ SPOHL-strə; born November 1, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Following the addition of free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010, the Heat made four consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2011–2014) under Spoelstra, winning the championship in 2012 and 2013. Spoelstra was promoted to assistant coach/advance scout in 1999, and later became the Heat's assistant coach/director of scouting in 2001. During the 2019–20 season, Spoelstra had again coached the Heat back to the 2020 NBA Finals before falling 4–2 to the Los Angeles Lakers. It started with a 100–85 win over the Toronto Raptors on February 3, 2013, and ended with a 97–101 loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 27, 2013. The team bounced-back, however, and made the playoffs while posting the second best record in the Eastern Conference. [11][12] He attended Raleigh Hills Elementary and Whitford Jr. High School in Portland, before attending Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he excelled at point guard on the basketball team. After two years as video coordinator, he then served two years as an assistant coach/video coordinator. He began having back problems after the end of his second year with the team, and contemplated having surgery. But his career may have taken a different course had he opted to play in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). After graduating from the University of Portland, he was hired and spent two years (1993–1995) in Basketball Bundesliga's second division as a player–assistant coach for TuS Herten, a German professional basketball club based in Westphalia, Germany. [10], He spent his childhood in Buffalo, New York, before moving to Portland, Oregon by the late 1970s. Spoelstra was Riley's hand-picked successor. Spoelstra is also the only coach who, with a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, could sub minimally used Solomon Hill in after playing him … [21] The Heat, however, were defeated in seven games by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. So, possibly Erik Spoelstra will look at playing them in tandem against larger teams (though I really doubt it). Erik Jon Spoelstra so far has made earnings of $15 million from his entire NBA career. It was in this setting where Spoelstra got his first coaching job, as coach of the club's local youth team. Spoelstra has not revealed further details about the deal but earns an annual salary reported to be in millions. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Spoelstra later spent his childhood in Buffalo, New York then Portland, Oregon by the late 1970s. Erik Spoelstra is the third member of the Spoelstra sports dynasty. All rights reserved. [6] Pat Riley was named the Heat's head coach not long after Spoelstra's hiring. On September 17, 2015, Spoelstra announced his engagement to former Miami Heat cheerleader, Nikki Sapp. [11] Spoelstra graduated from the University of Portland in 1992 with a degree in communications. [11] In 1989, he was named West Coast Conference freshman of the year. He is the son of former sports marketer and NBA executive Jon Spoelstra. Or write about sports? [5] He was promoted to head coach in the 2008-09 season. The Career of Erik Spoelstra. Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, April 28, 2008: Appointed Head Coach by the Miami Heat, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, April 25, 4:27AM. "Pamahiin in Spo's family: Mom skipped Finals, for fear of jinxing Heat bid", "Spoelstra has been around the game since childhood", "Fil-Am Coach Erik Spoelstra Steers Heat to Historic NBA Win", "Riley Steps Down, Spoelstra Named Head Coach", "Long Before Miami, Spoelstra's Work Ethic Known", "Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Learned Valuable Lessons From His Father", "Spoelstra First Filipino NBA Head Coach", "Spoelstra Raised to Be in N.B.A., and Rising to Challenge", "Former UP Standout Erik Spoelstra Leads Miami Heat to NBA Title", "NBA Finals 2013: Is Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Latino? Data Provided By Erik Spoelstra \Spoll-Stra\ Erik Jon Spoelstra (Spo) Born: November 1, 1970 in Evanston, Illinois. He's a man that was born to coach. The Heat’s intense coach and the uber-confident guard spent a lot of time getting know each … The couple got married on July 22, 2016.Together they have two adorable sons.. Erik Spoelstra NBA. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [14], After graduating from the University of Portland, he was hired and spent two years (1993–1995) in Basketball Bundesliga's second division as a player–assistant coach for TuS Herten, a German professional basketball club based in Westphalia, Germany. Spoelstra's body of work at Portland is enough to earn him a roster spot as a player/assistant coach on a Pro-B midlevel professional German team in Westphalia. [11] He began having back problems after the end of his second year with the team, and contemplated having surgery. — Matt, Miami. Erik's father, Jon Spoelstra, said, "Contractually, Riley wasn’t allowed to bring in his video guy, otherwise, Erik would have been out of a job right then."[10]. During the 2012–13 season, Spoelstra was selected as head coach of the 2013 Eastern Conference All-Stars in the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, with the Heat holding the best record in the Eastern Conference at the time of selection. [23] LeBron James famously bumped into Spoelstra on his way to the bench during a timeout in a game. Erik is a married man. [25] Spoelstra received a $6 million contract extension in December 2011 which lasted through the 2013–14 NBA season.[26]. In 1995, Spoelstra launched his NBA career when he joined the Heat as a video coordinator. Spoelstra was a point guard in college and played for two years before rupturing his Achilles, which effectively ended his playing career and placed him on a coaching journey. He is most popular for being an American professional basketball coach for the Miami Heat. Coaching career. He began as a player assistant coach for “Basketball Bundesliga’s second division”. With a seventh-place finish in offensive rating this season, it’s safe to say that goal was achieved. Spoelstra led the Heat to the 2014 NBA Finals, becoming the third coach to lead his team to four straight Finals. (Marta Lavandier/AP) That idle time came after Nunn had started the previous 24 games. MIAMI – Erik Spoelstra and Dion Waiters needed time. the official stats partner of the NBA. More coach info Heat coach Erik Spoelstra could yet again find himself turning to second-year guard Kendrick Nunn. High School: Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon College: University of Portland. In terms of play types, the Heat’s offense looks almost nothing like Crutchfield’s. Xs & Spos Spoelstra didn’t copy-and-paste Crutchfield’s offensive philosophy. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter, This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. [10] In 1995, Spoelstra was offered another two-year contract with the club, but the NBA's Miami Heat also offered him a position. Erik Spoelstra was emotional after his Miami Heat’s season came to an end on Sunday with a 106-93 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. That's what we feel we are getting with Erik Spoelstra. His grandfather was Watson Spoelstra, a noted sports reporter for the Detroit News who covered mostly … Find out more. Q: At a glance, Dewayne Dedmon doesn’t look like he could play in tandem with Bam Adebayo, but he is a career 33-percent 3-point shooter. On September 29, 2013, the Heat extended Spoelstra's contract to an undisclosed multi-year deal. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Heat overcame a 2–1 game deficit against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, and a 3–2 game deficit against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals to reach the 2012 NBA Finals despite an injury to starter Chris Bosh that forced him to miss nine straight games. He became the first Asian-American head coach to win an NBA championship,[4] and the second Heat head coach to win the title. [5] Many of Spoelstra's colleagues attribute his ascent in the Heat coaching ranks to his strong work ethic. To his benefit, and to the benefit of his team, Erik Spoelstra lives in the moment, and therefore the Miami Heat live in the moment. "[5] Spoelstra became the first ever Asian-American NBA head coach, and the first Asian-American head coach in the history of the four major North American sports leagues. [11][18] As an assistant coach, he was credited for improving Heat star shooting guard Dwyane Wade's balance and jump shot after Wade's return from the 2004 Summer Olympics. sun-sentinel.com - To his benefit, and to the benefit of his team, Erik Spoelstra lives in the moment, and therefore the Miami Heat live in the moment. He coached a Germany based professional basketball club “TuS Herten” for 2 years. [31] They married on July 22, 2016 and have two sons together. [4] Spoelstra won his first NBA championship as an assistant coach when the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals. Playing career. Of Filipino descent from his mother's side, Spoelstra is the first Asian-American head coach in the history of the four major North American sports leagues[3][4] and the first Asian-American head coach to win an NBA championship.[4]. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Erik Spoelstra is a 'mini-Pat Riley' originally appeared on NBC Sports Northwest Miami's Erik Spoelstra has walked a long, long road to his fifth berth as a … [6] Before his senior year, Spoelstra participated in Sonny Vaccaro's Nike All-Star camp in Princeton, New Jersey, alongside future NBA players Alonzo Mourning, Shawn Kemp, Billy Owens, and Bobby Hurley. [18] Spoelstra was hired as the Heat's video coordinator in 1995, although at first he was not promised the position past the summer of that year. Erik Jon Celino Spoelstra (/ˈspoʊlstrə/ SPOHL-strə; born November 1, 1970)[1][2] is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Are you a Stathead, too? [21], Expectations of the team's success were raised significantly for the next season and beyond, after the free agent acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in the summer of 2010. [30] Topping off the 2016–17 season, Spoelstra was named the NBCA Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Heat to a 30 win record in the final 41 games of the season. Of Filipino descent from his mother's side, he is the first Asian-American head coach in the WikiMili The Free Encyclopedia Playing career. [6], Roya Vaziri, then the director of player personnel for the Heat, convinced then general manager Dave Wohl to offer Spoelstra a position with the team. Do you have a sports website? After two seasons as a player-assistant coach in Germany, Spoelstra caught on as video coordinator with the Miami Heat in 1995, held the job for two years before combining it with roles as assistant coach, advance scout and player personnel jobs under Pat Riley. Copyright © 2000-2021 Sports Reference LLC. Spoelstra made his fifth appearance in the NBA Finals as head coach in 2020. (Spo), Born: November 1, 1970 in Evanston, Illinois, High School: Spoelstra is the NBA’s youngest coach, yet he has blossomed as one of the best coaches in the NBA. He is happily married to Nikki Sapp, a former Miami Heat cheerleader. Erik Jon Spoelstra After graduating from the University of Portland in 1992, Spoelstra spent two years in Germany coaching the German Professional basketball Tus Herten. [22] Chris Bosh intimated that the team was being worked too hard and that the players would rather "chill". He was born to a Philipino mother and American father in Evanston, Illinois, on November 1, 1970. Spoelstra led the Heat to an appearance in the 2011 NBA Finals, but lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. And that was how Spoelstra’s coaching career started at the end of the 2007-2008 season. Spoelstra began his career in 1993, as a player-assistant coach for Basketball Bundesliga’s second division. [20] In naming Spoelstra as head coach, Riley said: "This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative, and bring fresh new ideas. The Answer Is Revealed Here", "From 'The Dungeon' to the top: Erik Spoelstra's rise with the Heat", "On the Hot Seat, Erik Spoelstra Has Stayed Cool for Miami Heat", "President Obama Welcomes the 2013 NBA Champions the Miami Heat", "Heat Playoff History: Pat Riley Built the Ship, but Erik Spoelstra is Captaining the Big Three", "LeBron James Leading Mutiny Against Erik Spoelstra as 'Big Three' Play Small With Miami Heat", "Quote of the Night: Chris Bosh wants to chill", "LeBron James, Spoelstra downplay bump in the night", "Pat Riley Won't Coach, Heat Will Contend", "Miami Heat Defeats Boston Celtics in Game 7, Advances to NBA Finals", "What Spoelstra extension means for LeBron", "Richardson has 28 points to lead Heat past Clippers", "Heat coach slyly announces engagement to former dancer", National Basketball Association head coaches, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erik_Spoelstra&oldid=1013699266, American expatriate basketball people in Germany, American sportspeople of Filipino descent, Jesuit High School (Beaverton, Oregon) alumni, National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from October 2020, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 March 2021, at 23:57. 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