Spoelstra: ‘It’s a disheartening time’
Coach commends stand by Warriors, NFL teams
MIAMI — Unity, solidarity and empathy again will extend beyond the court for the Miami Heat this season, with coach Erik Spoelstra expecting his team to make a statement about social injustice, particularly in the wake of recent comments from President Trump.
“It’s a polarizing time right now. It’s a disheartening time. I commend the Golden State Warriors for the decision they made,” Spoelstra said of the Warriors not making a White House visit in the wake of last season’s NBA championship. “I commend the NFL players and organizations for taking a stand right now for equality for inclusion, for taking a stand against racism, bigotry, prejudice.
“These are all foundation, cornerstones of our great county. So it is disheartening to see right now the divisiveness.”
Heat players and coaches locked arms during the national anthem throughout last season.
“We’ll meet about it as a team when we get to Boca,” he said of Tuesday’s start of training camp in Boca Raton at Florida Atlantic University. “But we support our players and other pro organizations for their right to express themselves in a non-violent way for a cause that needs to be addressed, and still unfortunately is a big-time issue.”
Heat captain Udonis Haslem, who previously had criticized what Trump considered locker room talk, expressed ongoing frustration with Trump.
“It’s like every time he opens his mouth . . . . it’s like, oh, really?” Haslem said. “When you think you can’t say anything worse, he just kind of figures it out. It’s unfortunate.
“We have freedom of speech in this country, and those guys are exercising their right of freedom of speech. Whether he agrees with it or not, you don’t get to name-calling. I felt that was a little too far. Let’s just try to stick together as a country, stay on the right path and figure it out. Let’s not divide.”
Spoelstra said divisive dialogue is an issue that transcends sports, one that cannot be avoided.
“It’s not even about the players right now,” he said. “This is discourse that’s going on in every living room right now and this is our family, so we will have a discussion about it. It is such a polarizing topic right now that I think it’s healthy to discuss where they are on this right now. And I know how the guys feel in the locker room, it’s exactly the same as the players in the other leagues on other teams that you saw this weekend.”
Spoelstra said it is an issue that deserves a proactive approach.
“That’s the disheartening, discouraging thing right now, that this is really just an expression of our rights and an expression to fight this in a non-violent way,” he said. “We will support our guys as they choose to decide to fight his in a coherent, connective way. But absolutely we all feel discouraged just by the divisiveness right now. We would all just love to see a lot more equality and inclusion.”
McGruder’s nose
Forward Rodney McGruder said he was limited in his offseason travel after undergoing surgery for a deviated septum. He said the procedure will not affect him during training camp, with no need for facial protection. He said teammates have chided him about getting a nose job . . .
Guard Goran Dragic said his beard is being worn as a tribute to the passing of his grandfather, with a cultural tradition of a 40-day growth. He joked it also was his championship beard, after Slovenia won EuroBasket last week. . .
Of the NBA’s rest issue, Spoelstra said, “I don’t anticipate us resting guys unless they’re hurt.” . . . The Heat have promoted video coordinator Eric Glass to also being a player-development coach . . .
Spoelstra said there is no definitive word on the Heat’s Dec. 9 game in Mexico in the wake of the earthquake in Mexico City, but the NBA continues to say the game will be played as scheduled.