Butler and Spoelstra aren’t the Heat’s only All-Star representatives. A look at the others
Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler aren’t the only ones representing the Miami Heat at All-Star Weekend. Most of Spoelstra’s coaching staff is also in Cleveland to take part in the festivities.
Heat assistant coaches Malik Allen, Caron Butler, Anthony Carter, Eric Glass, and Chris Quinn, and video coordinator Dan Bisaccio are alongside Spoelstra for the All-Star experience. They will help Spoelstra coach Team Durant in Sunday night’s All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
“That’s probably one of the most gratifying things is having our staff out here,” Spoelstra said. “Many of them have never been to an All-Star Weekend.”
Quinn played six NBA seasons and is in his eighth season as a Heat assistant coach, but this year marks his first ever in-person All-Star experience. Allen’s NBA playing career lasted 10 seasons and he’s in his eighth season as a coach, but this is his first time serving as a direct All-Star participant after attending a few over the years as a bystander enjoying the weekend.
It’s a unique opportunity for the Heat’s assistant coaches, and especially unique for Bisaccio.
“This is the first time all of us have really been on the staff to be a part of something like this,” Allen said. “Spo has done it before. But it’s just really unique. Dan is the hardest working guy on our staff. For him to have an opportunity to do something like this and be a part of it, you’re just happy for him. I can’t imagine being in his position with the hours and the grind. This is rewarding.
“He’s easily the hardest working guy on our staff. That position in itself, it is constant, non-stop, no sleep. Constantly looking at your film at what’s coming through of who needs what. To have something like this, I’m just happy and excited for him.”
Quinn added: “There’s not a time that you text Dan and he’s not awake. I don’t think anybody has beat him to the office yet this year. I don’t know exactly what time he gets there because he’s always there before everybody else. It’s good for him to get the experience and to be a part of all of it because he is the hardest worker and he does a lot of things behind the scenes that go unnoticed.”
Bisaccio, 32, is in his eighth season with the Heat. He was hired in 2014 as an intern, then spent four seasons as an assistant video coordinator and is now in his third season as video coordinator.
Before his Heat tenure, Bisaccio spent two years at Marquette University as a Graduate Assistant working as the video coordinator for the men’s basketball team.
“Obviously, I knew for me that I’m never going to plan on being here unless coach Spo says I can come,” Bisaccio said. “As soon as he said, ‘Hey, we want you to be here,’ I was jumping at the opportunity. It’s not necessarily maybe what I had planned back in November, but it’s something that I’m even more excited about. You would never, ever, ever pass up this opportunity.”
The Heat’s coaching staff has been busy this weekend.
The Heat’s All-Star contingent didn’t get to their Cleveland hotel until around 3 a.m. on Friday following Thursday night’s win in Charlotte. Miami’s coaches then woke up a few hours later to help lead those participating in the Rising Stars event through a practice on Friday morning.
Then as part of the four-team Rising Stars tournament, Quinn, Butler and Bisaccio coached Team Payton and Allen, Glass and Carter coached Team Worthy on Friday night.
On Saturday morning, Spoelstra and his staff ran Team Durant’s practice. They’ll close the weekend on the sidelines coaching in the All-Star Game on Sunday night before returning to Miami.
“This weekend is more about fun, enjoying the moment, being present, spending the time with our closest friends, colleagues and family,” Quinn said. “Just trying to embrace the three days while we’re here.”
Most of the Heat’s coaches brought family to Cleveland to enjoy All-Star Weekend together.
“It’s really everything,” Quinn said of enjoying his first All-Star experience with his wife and children. “My 10-year-old son was, I think, the one rooting the hardest for us when we were neck and neck with Chicago to get here. It’s everything. I think he’s at the perfect age where he can enjoy it all.”
Bisaccio may even mix in a bit of extra sleep with his All-Star experience even though he admits he has tried to sneak in some work during the break.
“I think I’ll wake up a little bit later. I might sleep in until around 7 or so or something like that,” Bisaccio said with a smile. “I think they’re going to forcefully make sure I don’t do my stuff. I was getting yelled at on the plane. I was tying to do a little work [on the way to Cleveland] just getting prepped for after the break, and they were slamming my laptop shut.”
ALONG FOR THE RIDE
Famed Peloton instructor Alex Toussaint is a well-known Heat fan. How did the Long Island, N.Y., native become a Heat supporter?
“I’m a die-hard Heat fan,” Toussaint said just hours before he was named the Celebrity All-Star Game MVP on Friday night. “Always growing up watching Tim Hardaway play. I’m a also a fan of Pat Riley and the whole organization, and my favorite player is Dwyane Wade and Shaq. So when they teamed up out there, it was just a no-brainer for me to become a Heat fan.”
As a native New Yorker and one who still lives there, Toussaint said: “Trust me, I hear from Knicks fans, Nets fans all day. ‘How are you a Miami Heat fan?’ But it’s just something that’s just rooted in me.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2022 at 12:24 PM.
