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Following three-straight NBA Finals appearances and two championships in a row, there has been talk that Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra may be the best coach in the league.
Like some, I don’t agree with that assessment. I believe the 42-year-old — which makes him one of the youngest head man in the league, by the way — is among the very best, but with contemporaries like Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Rick Carlisle and Rick Adelman, all of whom have won over 500 games, it’s still too early to place Spoelstra above them.
Alongside them? Sure, I’m willing to place him there.
But Spoelstra is no Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach or Heat president Pat Riley. That is, he isn’t an NBA Hall of Famer.
Don’t get me wrong, he has the potential to be just that one day. It’s still much too soon to crown him, though.
While it’s impressive that Spoelstra has been able to lead Miami to two titles with its current roster, it’s also not quite as impressive given, well, Miami’s current roster.
You see, the Heat have three surefire future Hall of Famers in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen, along with several other talented players, so I could make the argument that there are many coaches who could lead them to a championship. Heck, I think I might be able to take them to the promise land.
To make a long story short, two titles is nice, but I think Spoelstra needs a three-peat and/or several more deep playoff runs before he enters the Hall of Fame conversation.
Josh McKinney is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @SuperJMac32, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
