Heat’s Tyler Herro on Spoelstra’s defensive mind-set: ‘He doesn’t care about my offense’
As expected, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has checked up on his 20-year rookie during the NBA’s coronavirus shutdown.
“Coach Spo, he called me the other day and he just wanted to make sure like I was keeping up on the routine,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said during a recent appearance on Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum’s “Pull Up” podcast. “He said that’s going to be the biggest thing. We’re really just trying to stay productive, whether it’s reading a book or doing something different. Trying to better yourself in a different way during this time.”
And as expected, Herro said Spoelstra has shown little concern about his offensive game in his first NBA season. Instead when it comes to Herro’s development, Spoelstra’s focus has been on defense, where Herro currently faces some physical limitations at 6-5 and 195 pounds with a 6-3 wingspan.
“He teaches in a different way that’s unique, different than coaches that I’ve had before,” Herro said of Spoelstra on the podcast. “He always pushes me defensively, that’s where he’s on me every single day. He doesn’t care about my offense at all. He’s just on me every day about my defense.”
Herro averaged 12.9 points while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range, four rebounds and 1.9 assists in 47 games in his first NBA season. He had missed 15 consecutive games with right ankle soreness before playing in Miami’s final game before play was suspended on March 11 because of the coronavirus.
Spending the league shutdown in his Miami condo, Herro said “I think I shot a ball one time” with NBA facilities closed indefinitely since the season was suspended last month. But Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler recently had basketball hoops sent to each of his teammates and coaches last week.
Still, not having the Heat’s facilities at AmericanAirlines Arena available to work at has left Herro trying to find a new routine.
“Going to the arena every morning was part of my routine,” Herro said on the podcast. “Getting up early, going to the arena and getting some shots up before practice. Now it’s like just Zoom workouts at 11 a.m. with the team. They sent a couple bands and weights to the house and I’ve pretty much been doing that. Zoom workouts in the living room and really trying to make that work. I’ve been outside a couple times doing some sprints and stuff outside, just trying to stay in shape as best as I can.”
Here’s what else Herro touched on during his appearance on McCollum’s podcast ...
▪ Herro, who was selected by the Heat with the 13th pick in last year’s draft after playing one college season at Kentucky, said: “I think Kentucky really prepared me for Miami. I think the way that coach Cal [John Calipari] pretty much just prepares his players and what he puts them through as far as development and things like that, after one year he kind of prepared me for coach Spo and Pat Riley and the conditioning and practices. Miami is a place that if you like to work, then it’s good for you. Because I feel like they hold you to a higher standard.”
▪ When asked how he earned Butler’s trust so quickly, Herro pointed to the Heat’s first team workout in Miami prior to the season: “The whole team was just like, ‘Tyler, you got to guard Jimmy. Jimmy, you got to guard Tyler.’ They pretty much were just going at me. Jimmy was putting me in the post and all that. He just likes how I went back at him. I obviously respect his game and who he is. So I just tried to go back at him to show him I can play a little bit.”
▪ How is Spoelstra different than Calipari? “Obviously, he doesn’t yell as much as coach Cal does,” Herro said. “He doesn’t do as much yelling. He just has a different way.”
▪ As far as Herro’s interest in fashion, he said that “it kind of just happened. I always was into it, just seeing guys growing up on TV in postgame conferences and seeing how they’re dressed, glasses they’re wearing. That kind of just always was something that caught my eye. Now I got the opportunity to show off what I wear, so I just try to take advantage of it.”
Herro added that Miami’s fashion options have helped diversify his closet.
“That’s the best part about it,” he said. “There are so many stores and boutiques out here that there’s plenty of stuff that I’ve never seen before.”
HOW TO LISTEN TO CLASSIC HEAT GAMES ON THE RADIO
790 The Ticket will re-air classic Heat games on certain nights at 6 p.m. The series began Monday with the rebroadcast of Miami’s Game 3 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.
The next re-air date is Wednesday, with the Heat’s NBA title-clinching game against the Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals. The remaining four broadcasts are from the 2012 NBA Finals, when the Heat won the championship with a 4-1 series victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (Game 2 on Monday, Game 3 on April 29, Game 4 on May 4 and Game 5 on May 6).
