Erik Spoelstra
Erik Spoelstra is the current coach of the Miami Heat basketball team, this team underwent a true transformation; they came from “rock bottom in the 2007-08 NBA season, to the top of the hill in 2013. In 2007, Dwayne Wade, the star player at the time, was plagued by injuries. Miami hit rock bottom with a league worst 15-67 record” (Todd, 2). Shaquille O'Neal, one of the other star players, was traded to the Phoenix Suns midway through the season. Pat Riley, the president and head coach of the team at the time, resigned as head coach after the season, but kept his position as team president. Long-time assistant Erik Spoelstra was given the position of head coach. At 38, he was the “youngest head coach in the league at the time,
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"I thought Erik did a nice job staying even-keeled and preaching the same things he was preaching since Day 1. The more you can preach your message through turmoil and get through it, that's when guys start to …show more content…
But the two-time MVP now regards that period with a healthy hindsight. When it seems like the world is crashing down on us, he's always like, 'We're going get through it. It starts with me and we're all going to get through it. Let's just stay focused and continue to grind,'" James says. "Then things would get better. You respect that. When your general doesn't panic, no matter what the situation is, then the rest of the soldiers don't panic either."
Spoelstra has traveled about as “far an NBA lifer can -- from The Dungeon to the first chair on the most scrutinized sideline in recent NBA history. But in many respects, his temperament hasn't really changed” (Goodman, 2). The office might be cushier and he's no longer chasing cargo planes in the middle of the night, but he's still fundamentally the same guy with the same habits. "He's probably breaking down the next game, or breaking down the game we just got done playing," James says. "He's preparing. He's always
Pete Maravich was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His spectacular moves and awesome footwork helped him to get better everyday. His incredible passes and being able to control the court caused his teammates to like him even more. “His playground moves, circus shots, and hotdog passes were considered outrageous during his era” (NBA Encyclopedia Playoff Edition). His love for basketball was instilled by his father Peter “Press” Maravich.
Although many youngsters fail in the NBA, there are a few high school players who have had, or do have a successful career in the NBA. Some of these are, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady, and this year’s most valu...
Most people in todays’ society know how competitive the NBA can be. The NBA has been around for years and years and is now beginning to be more competitive than in previous years. So many teams have so much talent that some know how to use perfectly and some use it to a minimum. The NBA has different positions like Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward and Center. These positions require specific training and skills to know how to do. Some people have the talent for one position while some people can have the talent for all positions. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are the two most competitive teams there is in the league compared to the
Roustan W.K. (2012, May 29). Miami Heat staff busier than players on game day. Sun Sentinel. Retrieved from: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-29/news/fl-a-day-in-the-heat-20120529_1_heat-dancers-game-day-golden-oldies
Wertheim, L. (1998). The 'Secondary'. A Curious Career Phil Jackson Has Gone From Cloistered Child to Free- Spirited Player to Championship Coach. Somehow it all Seems to Fit. Sports Illustrated, 36 p. Unsworth, T. (1997).
James explains that he feels like a son to the city of Cleveland. He says, “people there have seen me grow up.” The community watched him develop physically, mentally, and as a player. James grew matured from an eighteen-year-old kid to a twenty-five-year-old man. With age comes responsibility, and he is well aware of the situation, as well as the responsibility to lead the team. He engages the audience by using nicknames, such as “D-Wade,” “CB,” and “Riles,” to name a few. James refers to the team as his brothers, another indication of how influential family has been on his career and his life altogether. His emotions and values express that family is what makes him
This article is about how Udonis Haslem is dealing with Dwyane Wade leaving the Miami Heat and what his future plans are with the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh. He says that it’s bittersweet being the last player from all three of the franchise's championship teams. He says that it’s hard now, but it will be something to talk about in the future when he is done. He is one of the many people in Miami facing Dwyane Wade’s free-agency departure to the Chicago Bulls last week after trying to negotiate with the Heat. They both started in Miami together in 2003. Haslem became the franchise’s leader in rebounds while Wade walks away as the Heat’s career leader in scoring and assists.They both had free agency this summer, but Haslem is the only one coming
The players coming into the Kings for the last few years have been young college kids picked in the first round of the draft with aspirations of becoming stars. Every kid going into the NBA thinks he is the next Lebron James, and thinks he can make a bad team great all by himself. But this is where the problem stems from; these nineteen and twenty year olds stepping on the court are talented but not grounded, and as soon as the season starts and their hopes are high, they manage to play the best game of one versus five. Take a player we recently traded away; Tyreke Evans. He is an extremely talented player who could drive on the hoop and still make the basket. The problem that existed with Tyreke is that he did not pass the ball. Once he heard the fans cheer his na...
Once he became the head coach he was not accepting mediocre. He became the coach of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh. They became known as the big three but what a lot of people seem to forget is that each three of them came from being the number one option and the best player of their team. Now they
Livingston, Bill. "Young NBA Players Learn on the Job." The Plain Dealer 17 December 1997: D1
Krzyzewski, M. (2001). The Species of the World. Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life. New York, NY: Business Plus. Sellers, P. (2011, Dec. 9).
It was not until the year 2002 that the NBA was able to find someone to match Jordan’s dazzling acrobatic style of play. His name is Lebron James. Lebron, who plays shooting guard and small forward, stands at an athletic six-eight. James, however, never played in the NCAA. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 2003-04 season, by the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is already on the road to success by achieving co-rookie of the year, and he appeared in the Olympics. James is expected to be a champion, but he may not have what it takes to become a real champion such as Michael Jordan was. Before Jordan or James can be categorized as a champion, they have to be able to handle pressure, fame, and maintain a positive relationship with their team. When comparing Jordan and James’ clutch capabilities, or their ab...
The NBA should develop a differentiation leadership strategy. Events that the NBA has organized are becoming irrelevant when compared to its rivals’. For example, the MLB’s All-Star Game has an impact on post-season results. The MLS’s All-Star game features the league’s best against top European soccer clubs. The NHL’s All-Star Game features a ton of scoring in a sport that typically has low scores. There is no novelty factor for the NBA during its All-Star Weekend. Only the NFL’s Pro Bowl is worse than the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in terms of entertainment value.
Today’s league contains thirty teams and these teams are divided into two conferences, the east and west. Fifteen teams are in the east and fifteen teams are in the west. Another way they are divided is there are six divisions that contain five teams each. Two NBA teams the Golden State Warriors, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have battled it out in the finals for the last three years and are the front runners this year(Trenchard NBA Then and Now). In today’s league, players are relying more and more on a three point shot(Segal 14). Players like Stephen Curry are revolutionizing the game of basketball with their shooting talent(Segal 15). This causes players to have to contain a three point shot in their arsenal to even be considered a superstar(Trenchard NBA Then and Now). There are now even more international players in the league today, and many of them show great potential. International players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kristaps Porzingis are just a few examples of rising stars in the game(Segal 79). As of today the NBA is in a phase known as the LeBron era because of how he took the league by storm ever since he arrived.(Segal 22). Right now, guards are being seen as more of the focal point of the team rather than big men(Segal 33). Some of today’s brightest stars include guards like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Stephen Curry(Segal 10). Last but not least,
In this time of transition and uncertainty, research suggests that transformational leadership is highly effective (Straight, 2006). Leadership research has drifted from emphasis on the competence of leaders to “manage change” to the ability to “transform” organizations. Transformational leaders have attributes and behaviors needed to successfully motivate and empower employees. According to Bernard Bass (1990), transformational leadership occurs when a leader transforms, or changes, his or her followers in three important ways that together result in followers trusting the leader, performing behaviors that contribute to the achievement of organizational goals, and being motivated to perform at a high level. Transformational leaders can achieve greater performance by stimulating innovative ways of thinking and transforming follower’s beliefs and aspirations. Maxwell (Maxwell, 2007) articulates that most of the time, influence is more important than formal power or authority. I agree with him. Influence is very important in organizational and co...