Erik Spoelstra
Erik Jon Spoelstra (/ˈspoʊlstrə/ SPOHL-strə; born November 1, 1970), nicknamed "Coach Spo", is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Spoelstra is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the league and one of the greatest of all time. He has won two NBA championships as the head coach of the Heat. A Filipino American, Spoelstra is the first Asian American head coach in the history of the four major North American sports leagues and the first Asian American head coach to win an NBA title.
Spoelstra before the 2022 NBA All-Star Game | |
| Miami Heat | |
|---|---|
| Position | Head coach |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 1, 1970 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Jesuit (Beaverton, Oregon) |
| College | Portland (1988–1992) |
| NBA draft | 1992: undrafted |
| Playing career | 1993–1995 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Coaching career | 1993–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1993–1995 | TuS Herten |
| As coach: | |
| 1993–1995 | TuS Herten (assistant) |
| 1997–2008 | Miami Heat (assistant) |
| 2008–present | Miami Heat |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As head coach:
As assistant coach:
| |
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. He was promoted to head coach in the 2008–09 season. The Heat have made six NBA Finals appearances during Spoelstra's tenure, winning consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013.