Heat’s Solomon Hill continues to make voice heard. And Spoelstra on South Fla. COVID-19 spike
There are few players on the Miami Heat’s roster who have been more outspoken about their views on systemic racism, social injustices and the cases of police brutality against the Black community than Solomon Hill.
The 29-year-old forward has used Twitter to make his voice heard and spoke at length about racial injustice during the Heat’s virtual town hall held on Juneteenth. As Hill spent most of the NBA shutdown in the Los Angeles area, he took an active role in rallies and other calls to action.
“He has been really poignant with his view on this. In our first team Zoom meeting, where we talked about it, he was outstanding, just the way he articulated his feelings and his thoughts on this movement,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Hill on a post-practice Zoom call with reporters Thursday. “... Solomon in our discussions has really been enlightening not only for the team, but for myself. I’ve called him a couple of times to talk to him and gain a better perspective. He has great experience. He has respect. And I really respect his actions.”
For Hill, having his coach’s support on social justice issues is important.
“It means everything,” Hill said Thursday. “There used to be sayings with coaches of there being guys they can trust in the back alley to have their back when you talk about just getting in fights and being there for one another. But basketball is not the most important thing to individuals on this team. It’s something that we do, it’s something that we love and enjoy. But we also have to be people for the rest of our lives. ... We have to be people first.
“To see [coaches support players], it’s amazing because these are coaches that haven’t come from the same backgrounds as the majority of players. But to still be able to, not understand but to be able to voice and use their platform, it only pushes that narrative from the players’ perspective that much more. It’s a combined effort.”
Hill, whose Heat teammates and coaches refer to as “Solo,” chose the social justice message of “Education” to wear on the back of his jersey when the season resumes. Why?
“Any kid at a private school is going to greatly benefit from that more than a kid at a public school,” Hill said. “But we never push that narrative. We never try to help out the kids in that area.
“One thing that I’ve been huge on is I shouldn’t have to leave my area of where I grew up in order to find what the world has defined as success. I shouldn’t have to. It’s always about making it out. It’s shouldn’t be about making it out. We should empower the people of our communities regardless of where they are. When we talk about defunding the police, some people are drastically talking about cutting all the funds. But it shouldn’t be that the nicest building in my area is a police station. It shouldn’t be like that. Kids should be able to go to schools in their area. They should be able to build wealth in their own areas and communities to build that community up.”
Before the season was suspended on March 11 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Hill played in just six games with the Heat after the Memphis Grizzlies traded him to Miami in February. The first week in the bubble has allowed Hill to learn more about his teammates and coaches.
“Heat culture is a real thing. It really is a real thing,” Hill said. “Coach said it a few days ago that he has been with the Heat for like 24 years. I was like four or five years old when coach first started with the Miami Heat. To be around people that have been here for 15 years, 20 years. Everybody has been here, it’s a real thing. It’s a family thing. It’s huge. You don’t get that sometimes in the NBA. You have a lot of teams that have a lot of change over time, not just personnel but coaches and front office. This is a place that you’re able to feel comfortable and just buy into a culture without worrying about anything else.”
STAYING SAFE
The NBA issued a reminder to teams of the health and safety protocols in place on the league’s Central Florida campus, which includes mandatory wearing of masks and social distancing.
“You don’t want to let down your guard, and I’m glad the league continues to emphasize the protocols,” Spoelstra said. “This is not something that we have experience or expertise in. We rely on the NBA and their consultation with the best science that’s out there. And we want to all work together to make this work, to be active participants in this.”
Spoelstra also called on South Florida residents to be active participants in stopping the concerning spread of COVID-19, especially in Miami-Dade County.
“Those of us that do have families, there is concern,” he said. “So our families are still operating basically in a quarantine. We’re here. We have all the amenities that we need. We get as many meals as we want here. We can take a walk, and there’s a normalcy that we have when we go out here and practice or bump into each other in the meal room or go outside and fish, that our families aren’t able to experience that back at home, because of what’s going on in South Florida.
“Things have kind have gone the other way where now, my wife, she’s not really leaving the house to do things. So we just keep our eye on it and try to promote the protocols, even wearing a mask — without politicizing it — it just makes all the sense in the world.”
▪ Heat center Kelly Olynyk said Kellz’ Kitchen is on hold while he’s in the NBA bubble.
“I thought about bringing a hot plate, a rice cooker and an Instant Pot,” Olynyk said. “But it’s just hard to get produce and groceries and all that kind of stuff. I brought a few spices and some hot sauce and stuff like that just to liven up some food.”
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 6:07 PM.
