Video | Miami Heat coach Pat Riley steps down
Pat Riley could have conducted a wide-ranging search for his successor when he announced Monday that he was resigning as coach of the Miami Heat.
Several big-name coaches are available this offseason, and the list likely will grow as teams bow out of the NBA playoffs.
But Riley knew the man he wanted. He saw no reason to waver -- or wait. The soon-to-be Hall of Fame coach had been grooming prodigy Erik Spoelstra, who started with the Heat as a video coordinator 13 years ago.
''They're all competent, they have their own story,'' Riley said of outside coaching options. ``I don't know what their story is. I know [Erik's] story.''
Spoelstra is of Dutch, Irish and Filipino descent. He played four years as a guard for the University of Portland before spending two years as a player-coach for a professional team in Germany. But coaching -- not playing -- was Spoelstra's passion.
He joined the Heat in 1995, working his way from the film room to the sidelines. He has played a big role in the development of players from superstar Dwyane Wade to undrafted rookies. Spoelstra, 37, is the youngest head coach in the NBA, 69 days younger than New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank.
''I think I knew pretty early on, probably after high school, that I wanted to get into coaching,'' Spoelstra said. ``I was obsessed with the game. So coaching was the avenue.''
For the past seven seasons, Spoelstra served as an assistant coach and director of scouting, and the last couple years coached the Heat's summer-league team. Spoelstra's duties have ranged from scouting to player development and delivering pregame speeches and preparing game plans.
Spoelstra said Monday he has been involved in personnel decision the past two or three years. Riley would allude to Spoelstra's coaching future by saying, ''You better get ready'' to become a head coach.
Spoelstra insists he's ready. He said he intends to retain the coaching staff of Ron Rothstein, Keith Askins and Bob McAdoo.
''Change is about change, but it's also about continuity,'' Spoelstra said. ``My skill set fits here.''
Several Heat players embraced Spoelstra's new role, with Wade making a congratulatory phone call Sunday night.
PRAISE FROM PLAYERS
''I believe in [Spoelstra] and have complete confidence that our team will succeed with him at the helm,'' Wade said.
Heat veteran Alonzo Mourning, 38, the lone player on the roster older than his head coach, said he is ''proud'' of Spoelstra and believes the rookie coach can ``take the organization back to our winning ways.''
Riley was effusive in praising Spoelstra and believes he has the perfect makeup to relate to the players and thrive in his elevated role, saying Spoelstra is ``one of the most talented young coaches to come around in a long time.''
Riley is not alone in holding Spoelstra in high esteem. Within NBA circles, Spoelstra had been a hot commodity in recent offseasons, according to Riley.
`HE'S A LOYALIST'
''There have been a lot of teams that have called me about our coaches -- and he's one of the most [sought after],'' Riley said. ``He would always say no. He had some great opportunities to go places where he could have been the assistant head coach and I was even negotiating salaries for him, but he never went. He's a loyalist. He wanted to be here.''
Spoelstra said he spurned other offers, hoping to later become Heat coach.
''As a young coach it's a tremendous opportunity to work for a first-class organization, under a Hall of Famer,'' Spoelstra said. ``When you're weighing that against other offers it's tough to beat, even if you're getting a better salary or title. It boiled down to the family atmosphere and the way things are run at the Miami Heat.''
