USA TODAY International Edition
Respectful LeBron says ‘ absolutely not’ on extra motivation
Both up close and from afar, Lakers star LeBron James marveled at how Heat coach Erik Spoelstra managed both his star and role players with relentless preparation and innovation.
“There’s this narrative that Spo is not great, and the narrative that he doesn’t get a lot of respect, which he should,” James said. “He prepares his team every single night. If you watch the Miami Heat, no matter who’s on the floor, they’re going to play Heat culture. They’re going to play hard. They’re going to play together.”
Both up close and from afar, Spoelstra admired how James appeared in nine out of the past 10 NBA Finals amid different circumstances. First, he won two of four Finals appearances with the Heat ( 2012, 2013). Then, James returned to Cleveland and won once out of four times ( 2016). And one year after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006, James has led the Lakers back to the Finals for their first time in 10 years.
“It is a true testament to his greatness to be able to sustain this type of success year in, year out,” Spoelstra said. “Different uniforms. New players and new teams going after him. It’s a real testament to that commitment.”
When the Lakers and the Heat meet in the NBA Finals at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Wednesday, how Spoelstra and James fulfill their job descriptions will play a huge factor in the outcome. After managing a resurgent star ( Jimmy Butler), rising stars ( Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro) and steady veterans ( Andre Iguodala, Goran Dragic) to the Finals as a fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, how will Spoelstra’s preparation play out against the top- seeded Lakers? After becoming what Lakers coach Frank Vogel said “is the best leader I’ve been around,” how will the 35- year- old James’ ability to delay Father Time emerge against the Heat?
However those factors play out, James adamantly disputed any notion that facing his former team will offer additional motivation to win his fourth NBA title. “Absolutely not. It’s no extra meaning to winning a championship, no matter who you’re playing against,” James said. “It’s already hard enough to even reach the Finals, to be in this position. If you’re able to become victorious out of the Finals, it doesn’t matter who it’s against. I’m just happy that I’m here with the opportunity to represent not only myself but represent our fans, our fan base, our organization, my teammates, our coaching staff our training staff and so many others that represent this organization to the utmost respect.”
James and Spoelstra offered nothing but respect toward each other, despite their dynamic in Miami and afterward.
In “The Soul of Basketball,” Heat President Pat Riley told author Ian Thomsen that James asked him if he was interested in coaching the Heat at some point during James’ first year with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the 2010- 11 season. Riley said he interpreted the question as a suggestion to replace Spoelstra after winning four titles with the Showtime Lakers and another with the Heat ( 2006). But with Riley staying committed to Spoelstra during his two title runs with James, as well as three playoff appearances since his departure, James argued that Spoelstra deserves more credit.
“It’s been you guys that have changed the narrative or has never given Spo his respect because he had D- Wade or he had myself or he had Bosh. But a lot of coaches have talent,” James said. “It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t gotten his respect. Every time we talked about Spo when I was there and we talked about how great he prepared us, and we talked about how great it was playing for Spo and things of that nature, you guys always said, ‘ Well, you have LeBron, you have D- Wade, you have Bosh; any coach can do it.’ No, any coach can’t do it. If any coach could do it, then there would be a lot more champions in this league.”
Perhaps Spoelstra would have more NBA championships had James not left the Heat in 2014 for a return to Cleveland. But when Spoelstra learned six years ago about James’ departure, he insisted he harbored no grudges. “I went through my own six- week reflection period that summer. But then you get back to work,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve built a lot of different teams over the years. We’ve been conditioned to move on and give everything, your heart and soul, to the next group and the next team.”
Said James: “That’s what fuels Spo, is the disrespect that you guys give him, the basketball world. I’m not going to sit up here and act like I don’t know what Spo is all about, because he’s damned good, if not great because his preparation. He prepares like it’s his last time ever coaching again every game.”