Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Adds To Accomplishments With Gold-Medal Victory
![Apr 27, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra directs his team against the Boston Celtics in the first half during game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Apr 27, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra directs his team against the Boston Celtics in the first half during game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7713,h_4338,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_heat/01j4z4t61hqfehg1j62b.jpg)
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is coming back to Miami with a new title from Paris,
The Team USA assistant is returning as a gold medal-winning coach as The Avengers defeated France in the final 98-87. Steph Curry led the way with 24 points.
Heat center Bam Adebayo also won his second gold medal.
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Spoelstra, who won two NBA titles with the Heat, was among the assistants to Steve Kerr. He might not get a medal around his neck, but he is an Olympic champion.
"It's an absolute honor to be part of the USA basketball program," Spoelstra said to USA TODAY last week. "I always want to be a part of it in any shape or fashion, and then to collaborate with these great basketball minds, it's been just an absolute blessing to be able to learn and grow."
Spoelstra took on his first USA Basketball coaching responsibility as head coach of the 2021 USA Select Team, which trained with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo. Adebayo was also part of that team.
After the semifinal win over Serbia where the United States made a furious 17-point comeback, Spoelstra said he expected the team to fight back,
“That’s why we’re in this business,” Spoelstra said during a televised halftime interview when the Americans were trailing by 11. “We love when the games feel like this.”
Scott Salomon is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at sas@southfloridamedianetwork.com.
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