"No matter what, just hang on"- Erik Spoelstra talks about how his dad's advice helped him reach his 7th NBA Finals

Erik Spoelstra is all set to coach his seventh NBA Finals. He has been the head coach six times between 2011 and 2023 and was the assistant coach during the 2006 finals. Spoelstra nearly went from being out of a job as a video coordinator with the Heat in 1995 before becoming their head coach.

According to Erik's father, Jon Spoelstra, a longtime executive in the NBA, former Heat HC Pat Riley wasn't contractually allowed to bring in his own video coordinator after getting hired in 1995, or else Erik could've been out of a job.

Jon Spoelstra advised Erik to continue with the Heat regardless of what role they offer him. Here's what the latter said about this (via ESPN's Malika Andrews):

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“My dad actually gave me an great advice even back then.. He said, 'This is an incredible situation, with Pat Riley, with stability. No matter what, just hang on, stay with it, no matter what they ask you to do, do not ever leave the situation’… Neither one of us thought that it would be 27 years later and I'd still be here."

Malika Andrews

@malika_andrews

“First of all, why is that picture in black and white? I’m not that old!” Fun moment with Erik Spoelstra reacting old film room photos on NBA Today:

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“First of all, why is that picture in black and white? I’m not that old!” Fun moment with Erik Spoelstra reacting old film room photos on NBA Today: https://t.co/6QJx5hPBJA

Erik Spoelstra kept his job for two seasons before being promoted to an assistant coach and video coordinator role. He took small steps later, along with keeping his assistant coach role, becoming an advanced scout in 1999 and director of scouting in 2001. He made his first finals as an assistant in 2006 and won the championship.

In 2008, he was promoted to the head coaching position. Since then, Spoelstra has been to six finals and won two championships. He is a two-time All-Star coach and was voted as one of the Top 15 Coaches in NBA history.

Jon Spoelstra had spent nearly two decades in the league as an executive and got fired multiple times. That's what made him aware of the stability in the league more than anything else, leading to the advice he gave Erik Spoelstra 27 years ago.

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Erik Spoelstra's third championship would be a historic win

If Erik Spoelstra leads the Miami Heat to a championship win this year, it would be a one-of-one event. The Heat will become the first franchise to win the title as the eighth seed. They became only the second eighth seed in history to make the NBA Finals this year.

Miami HEAT

@MiamiHEAT

We didn’t come this far just to come this far. So ready to hoop. #NBAFinals

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We didn’t come this far just to come this far. So ready to hoop. #NBAFinals https://t.co/HjTyxegj0g

Spoelstra's genius has been equally important as the players' performance on the court during this run. He has outcoached his counterparts in every series so far. The Heat enter their final series of the playoffs as an underdog again and will hope coach Spo and the players can cook something up to deliver a historic title.

They are up against the best team in the playoffs so far, the Denver Nuggets, so it won't be an easy feat. However, the Miami Heat have played out of their skins when the odds are stacked against them, so it wouldn't be ideal to rule their chances out.

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