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How Erik Spoelstra "Recruited" Caron Butler To Miami Heat Coaching Staff
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- How Erik Spoelstra "Recruited" Caron Butler To Miami Heat Coaching Staff
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has make a lot of great decisions during his tenure with the organization.
Among them was his recruitment of ex-Heat player Caron Butler to join the coaching staff. It was Spoelstra who convinced Butler to leave the broadcast booth to get into coaching.
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The conversation took place shortly before Butler was hired before the start of the 2020-21 season.
"Spo said 'I've been listening to you on television," Butler said on the All The Smoke podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson . "I love your messaging. I love what you're talking about. I think that you would just have a huge impact in this space.'"
Butler, who was drafted by the Heat in 2002, left the organization as part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade in 2004. He has since return to continue the long pipeline of talented assistant coaches, joining David Fizdale, Juwan Howard and Chris Quinn.
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It is expected that Butler one day becomes an NBA head coach. He said he's learned so much from Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley.
"I looked at it like college," Butler said. "Like I'm going to a four-year university. I've been there six years. So I feel like I got a master's degree in basketball now. I was just in basketball school under the Godfather and under Spo. I learned so much."
SUMMER UPDATE ON JOKIC
Heat forward Nikola Jovic admitted he was frustrated how this season played out from a personal standpoint.
He plans on doing everything possible to avoid a repeat. It starts with him making the decision to play for the Serbian National Team this summer. The news was first reported by Meridian Sports .
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This is the perfect opportunity for Jovic to begin his recovery after a disappointing fourth season in the NBA. It should give him a chance to play against some top-notch competition.
"It was not easy especially with the injuries," Jovic said during exit interviews. "I feel like that was a big part of the year where I was not on the court this year. You just don't like it."
MORE HEAT NEWS
How does Pat Riley feel about the term 'Heat Culture?'
Could Tyler Herro find himself playing in Western Conference next season?
Heat's Nikola Jovic has big summer abroad planned
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
