Dwyane Wade has always openly expressed his admiration for Erik Spoelstra. The two go way back and have shared 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. Spoelstra pushed the right buttons, even when the moves didn’t sit right at that point in time.
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In 2022, when Spo was placed on the list of 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History, Wade smiled ear to ear for his former coach on TNT. He then outlined the coach’s contribution to the Heat Culture. “I always say Pat Riley set the standard, but Coach Spo improved on it. You really see his DNA inside the organization now,” said Wade.
While Wade 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, recalling the situation. “Because I’m thinking ‘Oh, you f***ing with my numbers.'”
Wade’s anger was warranted, 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 fact that better numbers would fetch the player a better contract.
It took quite a bit of convincing from Coach Spo to get the 3x champion on board with the decision. In hindsight, the coach’s reasoning was valid, and it’s understandable 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. Wade’s production proved the decision to be right as well.
Until the 2010-11 season, Wade was averaging nearly 38 minutes per game, scoring 25.4 points, and 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. This was a crucial intervention for Wade, who had a history of lower extremity injuries.
Spoelstra used to give Wade tasks during 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 spoke about it 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 to keep his cardiovascular system on the boil.
“I already know what’s expected. The organization already set [a] precedent; they didn’t just leave it up to me,” said Wade.
So, even when the players weren’t on franchise duty, they had to do certain things 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.
