Spoelstra: Olympic work a learning experience
Spoelstra stresses Olympic work as learning experience, not steppingstone
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stressed Friday that his decision to coach the USA Select Team at Olympic training camp is about a learning experience, not a steppingstone.
Invited to coach a group of NBA players who will practice and scrummage in July in Las Vegas against the USA Basketball entry for the Tokyo Games, Spoelstra emphasized that the experience will be about living in the moment.
“I’m not even thinking about it in that terms, at all,” Spoelstra said of the succession plan for Gregg Popovich, the 72-year-old San Antonio Spurs coach who took over as national-team coach in 2015 from Mike Krzyzewski. “Really, it’s just an opportunity to be a part of the program this summer, with the Select team.”
That said, Spoelstra also underscored his respect for how long-time NBA executive Jerry Colangelo has revitalized the national program since taking over as director of USA Basketball in 2005.
“I really do respect Pop and Jerry immensely,” Spoelstra said. “And, to that point, Jerry has really built up this entire program to the point where everybody does want to be a part of it. And that’s not necessarily the way it was years ago.”
It is the first time Spoelstra, 50, has worked with the national program.
“More than anything,” Spoelstra said, “I’m just there to help. It’s with the Select Team. And I’m really excited to be a part of the program in any capacity.
“I’ve admired Pop for a long time. He’s the standard of excellence in our profession, but he’s also the example of how you can operate in this profession with grace and humility. And it’s an exciting time for the program. I’m grateful to Pop and grateful to Jerry.”
The Select Team roster has not been fully announced, but it tends to feature emerging NBA talent that might qualify for future national teams. Asked if he could wind up working with any Heat players on the Select Team, Spoelstra said with a laugh, “stay tuned.”
Heat forward Duncan Robinson, an impending free agent, had been among the finalists for an Olympic berth. Heat guard Tyler Herro also fits the mold of the type of player invited.
As it is, Spoelstra will wind up with face time at Olympic camp with Heat center Bam Adebayo, one of the 12 selected for Tokyo Games. Adebayo was among
those cut by Popovich for the USA Basketball entry at the 2019 World Cup.
“The opportunity to be around that group of great players, an incredible environment, to have Hall of Fame, world-class coaching, and super-intense, high-level competition, I think is the best thing for his player development,” Spoelstra said.
“There couldn’t be any better road map for a summer, an offseason, for Bam, where he is in his career, than to do this, at this stage. And then to go to Tokyo and have an opportunity to compete for a gold, that’s a life experience.”
By contrast, Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who at 31 is eight years older than Adebayo, bypassed an Olympic invitation.
“I’d have been cool if he did it,” Spoelstra said, even with the compacted past two seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic. “But he’s already been in the program in several years, and he was fortunate enough to have that experience of competing and winning the gold [in Brazil in 2016]. That is a great basketball accomplishment and experience. But I would have been cool either way.”
Surfside thoughts
Spoelstra made a point Friday of offering his thoughts regarding the condominium collapse in Surfside.
“We’re thinking all the families and everybody up there in Surfside,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are for all the families up there and all the first responders that are helping out.”
Heat guard Tyler Herro and assistant coaches Chris Quinn and Eric Glass were on site in the hours after the collapse to offer support and assistance.
“It shows you how much it hit everybody,” said Spoelstra, who is away from South Florida. “Tyler had been up since 5:30, had already had two workouts. And as the news story was circulating, Steve [Stowe, executive director of the Heat Charitable Fund] just organized everybody and said, ‘Hey, do you want to go up there?’ And it was without hesitation, they went right from the gym up there, just to do anything to help lend support.”
By midday Friday, an initiative assisted by the Heat had helped raise $270,000 for Surfside relief efforts.