“They have true love for who and what they are coaching”- Mike McDaniel all-praise for Erik Spoelstra and Heat culture
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is considered to be one of, if not the, best coach in the NBA right now. Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has recently praised the coach across the city.
During his recent media availability, McDaniel said that the two Miami coaches have built a collaborative relationship. McDaniel said Spoelstra reaches out to him after games and that the two speak often.
“I feel so humbled to be able to have the relationship,” McDaniel said. “It is an unbelievable resource for me to have in the coaching profession.”
What is Heat Culture, and how does Spoelsta do it?
Spoelstra and his staff are often praised for building “Heat Culture.” It is a mantra that emphasizes hard work and tenacity, which is not often seen in the NBA. McDaniel is a fan of the culture and is inspired by the way they work.
“They have a true love for who and what they are coaching,” McDaniel said. “Systematically when people describe ‘Heat culture’, they are describing a bunch of individuals who are trying to be great.”
The Heat are also well known for developing talent and often utilize overlooked players. The team currently has nine undrafted players in their system. Seven are on the active playoff roster.
Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Duncan Robinson are all undrafted and have heavily contributed to Miami’s run to the NBA Finals. McDaniel says this is just another example of Spoelstra’s greatness.
“Just the way he runs the program and what they do. There is a passion for developing players and coaching,” McDaniel said. “There is a standard for how they prepare their players.”
McDaniel claimed Spoelstra’s excellence goes beyond basketball.
“I think he has to be one of the best professional coaches across all sports,” McDaniel said.
Spoelstra will have to show off his coaching skills once again as Miami Heat are now down 2-1 in the NBA Finals. They lost Game 3 at home in a blowout, 109-94. Spoelstra and his staff will have to come up with creative adjustments for Miami to even the series. They will likely need at least two of their undrafted contributors to have big games to pull off the win in Game 4 on Friday in Miami.