Less than 24 hours after his home was destroyed by fire, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was back on the sidelines for Friday’s NBA Cup clash against the Charlotte Hornets, setting the tone with calm resolve. “Things in the house, those things can be replaced,” he said. His composure proved contagious, as the Heat responded with a spirited 126-108 victory that lifted the locker room mood.

The Heat players rallied behind their coach after the tragedy, channeling their emotions into the game. Andrew Wiggins later shared that the team was determined to win for Spoelstra and his family. He led by example, scoring 22 points in a performance that reflected both focus and solidarity. When asked about how he felt about the tragic incident, Wiggins said, “I mean, it’s devastating what happened.”

Speaking with clear emotion after the win, the Heat’s No. 22 shared, “Coming home from a late flight and seeing that obviously my peers are with them, and I hope everything gets better all the team. We’re all here supporting him with whatever he needs, but it was a special game. Go out there and get this win for him under the circumstances. Obviously, he didn’t have to be here, but he loves the team, and he wanted to be out here. We wanted to go out there and get that win for him, and we did.”

Well, Andrew Wiggins wasn’t the only one who sent his prayers to Erik Spoelstra and his family, as Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. also shared the sentiment.

“I mean, first of all, I just want to say how inspiring it was to just see him be out here. You would have never known anything tragic happened today,” said Jaquez Jr. “He took it like a regular day. The first thing he said to us was to appreciate all the wishes. The most important thing is that his kids and his family were all okay, and the fact that he came here with a smile on his face and excited to coach us as if nothing happened.” 

Despite the emotional toll, Spoelstra returned to the court the very next night, showing remarkable composure and strength that clearly inspired his players to rally behind him. Spoelstra even added, “The kids wanted to come to the game tonight,… So, I figured if they want to come to the game, then I’d better work.”

Well, even though Erik Spoelstra might have showcased the utmost level of professionalism before and during Friday’s contest, let’s not forget he’s also human. After his team’s win, during the post-game presser, the championship-winning head coach couldn’t hold back his feelings any longer and decided to speak his mind.

Erik Spoelstra finally let out his feelings about the incident post-game

It wasn’t just the Miami Heat players who broke their silence on the fire that broke out at Coral Gables, Florida, residence of longtime head coach Erik Spoelstra; he himself also shed light on the tragic incident. While everyone was busy celebrating the franchise’s 126-108 win over the Hornets and moving to a 5-4 season record, it was then that reality hit the newly appointed Team U.S.A. head coach.

That’s because the 55-year-old remembered that he wouldn’t have a home to go back to after the game. “It just hit me, right now, after the game. I just want to go home,” he said. “My kids, we’re taken care of. I will see them tonight. But in a perfect world, I’d rather go home.” The fire that destroyed Erik Spoelstra’s home on Thursday morning reportedly started at around 4:36 a.m.

Although by the time authorities reached and brought the fire under control, not much of his house that he purchased a few years ago was left, thankfully, the home was unoccupied at the time, meaning there were no injuries to his wife or kids. Now, as the authorities investigate the fire’s origin, Spoelstra revealed that he was offered a few days off by the Heat organization.

However, he chose to continue working while handling his personal matters. This just goes to show what kind of not just a head coach but a man Erik Spoelstra is. Hopefully, he’ll be able to figure out the best possible next step for him and his family. In the meantime, the Miami Heat will now shift their focus toward the Trail Blazers, whom they’ll face later tonight.