Reports surfaced on Tuesday that Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was signing a historic contract extension — reportedly valued at eight years, $120 million — that would make him one of the highest paid head coaches in pro American sports. Spoelstra rose to fame as a head coach when he first took over for Miami during LeBron James’ tenure.
E
ven though James is now with the Los Angeles Lakers and it has been nearly 10 years since he left the Heat, the two continue to have a close bond from their two championships and four NBA Finals appearances in four seasons. Since James’ departure, Spoelstra has proved himself to be an elite coach in all phases, taking the Heat to the Finals in both 2020 and 2023 despite being low seeds in both campaigns.
So when the news broke of Spoelstra’s lucrative extension, none other than James was ready to congratulate him for his well-earned contract:
