Dwyane Wade has never been shy about his admiration for Erik Spoelstra. The two go way back, sharing championship glory, among other achievements. Wade has often credited Coach Spo, who made the right calls for him, as a major influence in his career. He pushed the right buttons, even when the moves didn’t sit right in the moment.
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In 2022, when Spo was placed on the list of 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History, he smiled ear to ear for his former coach on TNT. He believed Spo deserved the recognition and outlined his contribution to the Heat Culture.
He said, “I always say Pat Riley set the standard, but Coach Spo improved on it. You really see his DNA inside the organization now.” While he has nothing but love for his former coach, their relationship wasn’t always as smooth. In their initial years together, they had some disagreements, one of which was recently revealed by DWade on his podcast.
“I always say Pat Riley set the standard, but Coach Spo improved on it.”@DwyaneWade on Erik Spoelstra being named as one of the 15 greatest coaches in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/ltT5yyfnn8
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 9, 2022
Wade recalled playing 38-40 minutes per game early in his career, but after Spo joined the Heat, he cut it down to 34 minutes. “I was hot,” said Wade regarding this decision. “Because I’m thinking ‘Oh you f***ing with my numbers.'”
Wade’s anger towards this decision makes sense given that he was used to being the sole superstar on the team, carrying the squad’s offensive burden for long durations. Not to mention, the better a player’s numbers, the better their contract.
It took quite a bit of convincing from Coach Spo to get the 3x champion on board. In hindsight, his reasoning was valid and it’s understandable as to why this was an important call to make.
“He took me out and played me about four less minutes because I was finding moments on the court to rest,” Wade said. The Heat legend realized that by playing four fewer minutes, he was more efficient for his team.
Until the 2010-11 season, Wade was averaging nearly 38 minutes per game, scoring 25.4 points, shooting 48.5% from the field. In the next five seasons that he played for the Heat, he averaged 32.5 minutes and scored 20.5 points while shooting nearly 50% from the field.
Spo’s decision helped Wade achieve longevity in the game. By playing fewer minutes, he became less injury-prone while contributing immensely to the team’s success which was crucial for a player who had a history of lower extremity injuries.
Erik Spoelstra used to give Dwyane Wade tasks during the All-Star breaks
The famous Heat Culture is about doing everything in one’s power to help the team. It’s a full-time commitment, and there are no off days. On his podcast, Wade talked about the Heat Culture and what life was like playing for Coach Spo. “Spo send me a whole one-pager of what he expected when I got back,” Wade said.
The list included things like a 6.5 body fat percentage, among other fitness goals for DWade to maintain. Wade also used to receive proper workout plans to follow during the All-Star break in order to keep his cardiovascular system up. He said, “I already know what’s expected. The organization already set precedent; they didn’t just leave it up to me.”
So, even when the players weren’t on franchise duty, they had to do certain things in order to be game-ready. Wade said that he has been part of other franchises, and they weren’t as committed to the job as the Miami organization during the breaks.
