Top 60 Erik Spoelstra Quotes

Bam understands the concept of a team and bringing out more out of somebody else, and he finds enjoyment and pride out of making somebody else better.

It’s not just about winning or losing, but to learn about teamwork, learn about sportsmanship, learn about discipline. The value of working together for a common goal. Have the emphasis on fundamentals, not just games.

I think it’s important to remain true to myself, but ultimately the Miami Heat and what it stands for is part of me. It’s part of my fabric.

Dwyane is just sensational. Look, he has all the qualities of a champion, of a winner, of a Hall of Fame player and talent, but his humanity, empathy and his ability to articulate his feelings separates him from everybody else.

I’m going to demand. I’m going to push and prod. And a lot of times, players don’t know what is needed for a team to break through.

It’s always easier to sacrifice when you’re not the one who has to do it.

We’re always trying to evolve and find more efficient ways, more fluent ways to evaluate our players, evaluate our opponent and evaluate our prospects.

I hate this quality, but I can go to dark levels when we lose. It’s not a panic attack, but there’s anxiety. I’m inconsolable. I’m a train wreck. I’m being myself. Then I get this crazy, intense focus, where I get desperate not to be embarrassed again. That dark spot is what I tap into. Creativity comes from there.

We’ve watched ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at least 30 to 35 times, ‘Moana,’ ‘Despicable Me’ – ‘1,’ ‘2’ and ‘3’ – all of these multiple times.

When you get into the playoffs, there become a lot of different storylines. But it’s all about putting together a team that competes for a title.

This league does teach you that it’s inevitable that there’s constant change, and you always have to continue to embrace change, adapt with change.

When you work for Pat Riley, you’re not just putting your hands on the basket and hanging out during practice. He puts you in positions where you have to coach. You have to be enthusiastic and fierce with your preparation and work ethic.

Simplicity is often one of the greatest strengths.

We don’t teach player development in that way, to be able to try to trick the officials or make sounds or jerk your head back.

You can’t stay who you are… Things change and you have to be able to adapt.

Basketball is a beautiful game and it’s afforded all of us in this profession so many things. To give back any time we can is gratifying.

It’s such a great lesson for young players in this league that winning is the most important thing, and that’s what Dwyane embodies.

You’re all over the place usually with young players. You’re trying to manage their emotions and teach them NBA situations. It usually takes months, even years, to learn and recognize NBA situations and then to develop a level of competitiveness that’s necessary at this level.

I’ve never really been a barbecue guy.

A coach-player relationship in this league often will be confrontational at times. And other times, it’s smooth sailing. But just the dynamic of the competitive nature of everybody, expectations, results – all these things combine, yeah, sometimes it will get testy. And that’s good.

When I was a player I’d black out and shoot for hours.

I’ve done a lot of the NBA programs in the Philippines and other places in South Florida. But I’ve always wanted to be a part of BWB in Africa.

I’m definitely not trying to go out of my way to create my own image or ensure my own imprint.

Family keeps you very grounded.

When players come in and we talk to them about what it means to be a Miami Heat player, we point them at Udonis Haslem.

It’s my personality naturally to try to fly under the radar.

Seasons just don’t go easy all the way through.

It’s a treasure to be part of a Game 7 against a worthy opponent.

If you’re only focusing on yourself, then you’re not going to help the team.

I think what we focus on is every game is a different challenge, and you have to find ways to put yourself in position to win, and you have to have a resourcefulness, and it’s not always going to go according to play.

You obviously have to build a culture, a foundation. You must build the right talent however you do it. Then you have to build the systems and the habits.

You better believe Goran Dragic is going to have a big impact on the ball.

Yes, there’s more access to film than when I first came into the league, but because of it there’s a desire to see more and study more and cover more.

I have to be true to myself, and that’s what I know for sure. I can’t try to be anybody else.

You don’t have to be humbled to be humble.

You have to be able to compete, put yourself out there, make yourself vulnerable, to go for something that you want.

The most important thing is there is a foundation and an accountability to a system.

I’ve always been a takeout, order-out guy.

Zones are easier just to throw out there and you don’t have to really teach it.

You have to be ready for anything in the playoffs.

I’ve learned pretty quickly you better be able to adjust daily.

In my mind, this is an ‘and,’ it’s not ‘either’ ‘or’ or ‘but.’ Yeah, you can feel a certain way about honoring the flag and the country, and feel that there needs to be some significant changes in the system, regarding racial inequalities.

I’m a stay-in-the-present momentist.

When you’re usually competing and contending, you’re not relying on younger players to produce for you.

I’ve traveled enough around the world with the NBA to see how much it’s grown, globally.

After a couple losses, I normally wouldn’t say anything to my wife in the morning, just kind of grunt and grumble and grab my coffee and get on my way out.

I’m a product of Pat Riley and his culture.

Each game, each series, there’s so many different things that are going on and you have to find different ways to impact winning.

I think we would all prefer to have a slightly shorter regular season with less back-to-back games. This would seem to help put out a better product, and it could also possibly help with injury prevention from over-use injuries.

It is terrific to be involved with changing people’s perceptions, and the world is changing.

When I see a league with a lot of change and turnover, yes, there’s a lot of big narratives out there, but I see opportunity.

The unified message in this fight against systemic racism and racial inequality is something that our entire Association is united to fight against.

My first year in Miami, I didn’t even know it was sunny during the winter.

It’s really a shame for the coaching profession that it’s so volatile.

It’s never easy to compete for a title.

You need guys that have been playoff-tested and have that experience.

I want to do this for as long as I possibly can and coach as many different teams and opportunities and different kind of personalities. I want to gobble that all up. And I want to be able to give and add value to these teams.

South Floridians, we can relate to storms where you just brace and hold your breath and even when you’re holding your breath you know the worst is coming.

Jimmy Butler embodies those qualities just like the Heat players of our great past have done before. Alonzo Mourning, Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem. He just embodies these qualities of professionalism, of work, of accountability, of being reliable. And he leads.

Anything can happen, and you have to be able to understand the reality of the world that we live in.