Erik Spoelstra on Heat naming Kaseya Center court for Pat Riley: 'It's totally badass'

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Oct 8, 2024

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

It wasn’t the description of choice when the Miami Heat formally announced Monday that their home games starting with the Oct. 23 regular-season opener will be played on the “Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center.”

But coach Erik Spoelstra couldn’t help himself.

“I think it’s totally badass. I really do,” Spoelstra said. “When we found out — they kept us in the dark on this, this came out of nowhere — I think it’s totally badass.”

The building, Spoelstra said, deserves to be a shrine to Riley in light of his 30-year franchise stewardship that has seen coaching success and ongoing front-office achievement.

“I just think it’s awesome to be able to have that on display every single night for everybody here, in South Florida, to be able to honor him and respect that, night to night,” Spoelstra said, before turning his attention to Tuesday night’s preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. “We’ve had the ‘Culture’ on the court. This is way more fitting.

“The culture is Pat. And I said it before, when he came here in ’95, the fact that he came to South Florida saying he wanted to create a culture that would be respected, not only South Florida, not only in the NBA, but across all of the professional sports organizations, and to be known and respected globally, whoa.”

The Heat again are expected to have games featured with their Culture court this season. But the Riley honor, which includes his signature on the court, will be for every home date.

“The fact that it’s happened is really remarkable, and that’s a testament to his vision,” Spoelstra said of Riley’s enduring success, remaining, at 79, deeply involved in the team’s day-to-day operations. “He just thinks bigger than everybody else.”

The Riley signature court will be unveiled when the Heat open their regular season on Oct. 23 against the visiting Orlando Magic, with three home exhibitions remaining before the change.

Survey says

The NBA released its annual survey of general managers, with ample respect for Spoelstra.

The Heat coach for the second consecutive year was voted as the best head coach, also placing first in the listings for best manager/motivator and best defensive schemes.

Spoelstra placed second, behind Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, for best in-game adjustments.

Also in the coaching category, Spoelstra assistant Chris Quinn tied for fourth as best assistant coach.

There also was ample respect for Heat center Bam Adebayo, who tied with the Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert for best defensive player, behind San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.

Adebayo placed fourth for both best interior defender and most versatile defender, also receiving votes in the categories of most athletic, most versatile.

In addition, Heat guard Duncan Robinson received a vote in the category of best at moving without the ball.

Heat forward Jimmy Butler was not named in the survey.

No Heat player received a vote as best at any of the five primary positions.

From a team perspective, there was little respect for the Heat, who did not receive a vote among the top seven teams in the East (in order: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Orlando, Indiana).

The Heat did receive a vote among the teams whose level of success will be most difficult to predict.