With more than $120 million in 8 years, the Heat officially completed an early contract extension with coach Spoelstra, and the salary broke the historical record of a single coach contract in the NBA, ranking first in the league.
Text: Lao Kan Kanqiu
Editor|Lao Kan Kanqiu
Just today, the Heat officially announced: The team has reached an early contract extension with coach Spoelstra! According to a follow-up report by the American media ESPN Woj, the contract provided by the Heat is for 8 years, with a total amount of more than $120 million, which means that Spo will become the first head coach in NBA history to sign a contract of 100 million yuan. With the signing of this contract, Spoelstra also managed to surpass Popovich (5 years, 80 million dollars), breaking the NBA's all-time record for a single coaching contract, ranking first in the league.
Spoelstra is an experienced and capable coach who has been with the Heat as head coach since 2008 and has spent 16 years in the position of head coach of the Heat, which is also his 29th season with the Heat. Since 1995, he has been with the Heat as a video coordinator and has gradually shown his talent and potential. Over the next few years, Spoelstra continued to earn promotions on the Heat team thanks to his hard work and talent.
In 1999, he was promoted to assistant coach and scout, responsible for scouting and developing young players. In 2001, he was promoted again as Director of Scouting, where he supported the team's recruitment and player development. In 2008, he became the head coach of the Heat, succeeding legendary coach Pat Riley as the first Filipino mixed-race head coach in NBA history, and in this moment, his life and career reached new heights.
Spo led the Heat team to two championships and was twice named NBA Coach of the Year, recognized by the league for his coaching talent and leadership. At the same time, he was also named to the list of the top 15 coaches in NBA history, and has entered the top 20 in NBA history for coaching wins, becoming one of the greatest coaches in basketball history. His outstanding performance and consistent leadership have kept the Heat competitive and cohesive, which has made him an indispensable member of the team.
Especially in 2020 and 2023, Spo led the team to the NBA Finals twice, becoming the seventh coach in NBA history to reach the Finals six times, only seven times short of the all-time No. 1 Phil Jackson. It is worth mentioning that in 2023, the Heat lineup is not conspicuous, and the team has 8 undrafted teams, ranking eighth in the East. However, under Spo's guidance, the team made it all the way to the Finals, creating a miracle in NBA history.
Coach Spo's coaching ability is truly amazing. He always pinpoints the characteristics and potential of each player and puts them in the position that suits him best. Under Spo's tutelage, every player is able to perform at their best and can play beyond their imagination in the game.
James, who worked with Coach Spo during the Heat period, also recently sent warm wishes to the former coach on social media. James tweeted: "You deserve this big contract, congratulations, Spo!" It is worth mentioning that the Heat formed the Big Three of James, Wade and Bosh in 2010, and Spo coached and then led the Big Three to two championships.
However, James's blessing has aroused questions from celebrities in the American media: It's too hypocritical, Spo was almost fired by the Heat because of you! But most of the media think that James's blessing to Spo is sincere. As an excellent coach, Spo's impact on the Heat is profound, and his ability to develop players and coach them has indeed been widely recognized by the outside world.