Miami Heat head coach Erik
Spoelstra has agreed to a lucrative multi-year extension that will
make him the highest-paid coach in the NBA.
It is an eight-year, $120
million extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It is the
most money ever committed to a coach in American professional
sports history.
The 53-year-old Spoelstra is
regarded by many as the best coach in the NBA, and his new
extension surpasses hefty deals signed by San Antonio’s Gregg
Popovich (five years, $80 million) and Detroit’s Monty Williams
(six years, $78.5 million).
Spoelstra, who is a two-time NBA
champion and in the top-20 all-time in career wins, has led Miami
to the NBA Finals six times in 15 years as the Heat’s head coach.
He has steered Miami into one of the most successful and consistent
NBA teams after succeeding Heat legend Pat Riley in
2008.
Spoelstra led Miami to the NBA
Finals last season as a No. 8 seed. The Heat advanced to the
Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four
years.
Despite missing key players
throughout this season, the Heat are currently 21-15, which is tied
for the fifth-best record in a tight Eastern Conference.
With this new deal, Spoelstra
and Miami are committed to each other for years to come and can
focus on trying to hang additional banners in Kaseya
Center.
