Erik Spoelstra: Pat Riley is on the Mount Rushmore of executives... he should be in the Hall of Fame as an executive too

Pat Riley has already earned enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame, but Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says his longtime boss belongs in even more exclusive company. “Pat is on the Mount Rushmore of executives,” Spoelstra said Thursday in advance of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. “He should always be in that consideration, every single year. Because he kind of sets the blueprint and he’s been able to do it so many different times. And then do it when people think that you can’t.”
Source: Nick Friedell @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
From earlier — No award for Heat’s Pat Riley, just a spot on the Mount Rushmore of executives. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 6:03 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Erik Spoelstra continues to describe PJ Tucker:
“If there’s a loose ball, and it falls in between me and you. Neither one of us have a chance of getting it.” – 5:36 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Erik Spoelstra:
“There should be a highlight film of PJ Tucker’s winning plays and it should be shown in the rookie orientations every year.” – 5:35 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: ‘There should be a highlight film of P.J. Tucker’s winning plays and it should be shown every year at rookie orientation. … He’s about winning.’ #Sixers – 5:35 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
All questionable Heat are warming up with the intention of playing, per Erik Spoelstra. – 5:31 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Pat Riley didn’t win the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award this season, but Erik Spoelstra spent a few minutes gushing about Riley and the Heat’s front office this morning miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 4:53 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
With no other option, Heat turn to Coach Kyle in Game 6 vs. 76ers. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… Erik Spoelstra, “He has just an amazing way of infusing confidence into guys.” – 2:13 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Erik Spoelstra believes Pat Riley belongs on the “Mt. Rushmore of executives” and could have made the Hall of Fame separately — as both a coach and an executive. espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 1:12 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
NEW: Pat Riley didn’t win the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award this season, but Erik Spoelstra spent a few minutes gushing about Riley and the Heat’s front office this morning miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… “Pat is a visionary. He’s a force of nature.” – 12:45 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
“A star in your own role.” Erik Spoelstra has created that goal for the Heat this season. Victor Oladipo has thrived to meet that challenge. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 12:25 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
No award for Heat’s Pat Riley, just a spot on the Mount Rushmore of executives. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 11:59 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman won #NBA Executive of the Year for the 2021-22 season. At age 33, he’s the youngest recipient of the award.
Last year’s winner, #Suns GM James Jones finished tied for fourth with Heat’s Pat Riley.
Jones and Riley each received three first place votes. pic.twitter.com/B8JTZtCjfq – 11:45 AM Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Masai Ujiri received 1 first-place vote, 1 second-place vote and 5 third-place votes for Exec of the Year, finishing 7th behind Brad Stevens, Pat Riley, James Jones, Artūras Karnišovas, Koby Altman, and the winner, Memphis’ Zach Kleiman. – 11:13 AM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Even with Pat Riley fourth in voting for NBA Executive of the Year, Erik Spoelstra says what matters is Riley already had a place on the Mt. Rushmore of executives. – 11:08 AM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Erik Spoelstra after today’s morning shootaround in Philadelphia: “The urgency is there.” – 11:04 AM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Erik Spoelstra, simple and to the point“The urgency is there.” – 11:02 AM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Victor Oladipo fulfilling Heat mandate as “a star in your role.” sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… Erik Spoelstra, “He just wants to give and help and serve. Wouldn’t we all be better if we were all like that in our daily occupations, no matter what we do?” – 9:02 AM Joe Vardon @joevardon
P.J. Tucker used to think Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was a ‘dictator.’ Stars like LeBron, Shaq, D Wade, were all made to toe the line in Miami. But not Jimmy Butler. The new Heat stars are finding a more open, trusting culture ⁦@The Athletic⁩ theathletic.com/3306148/2022/0… – 8:36 AM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’m not gonna lie, part of my calculus for how quickly I want Winning Time to move is the slim chance that LeBron could one day play himself.
Season 12. In the bubble. LeBron has a dramatic confrontation with Adrien Brody’s Pat Riley before the Finals. This is my heart’s desire. – 6:10 PM

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He also appreciated the fact that James Jones, who runs basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns — and spent six years playing for the Heat — finished fourth in the voting. “How many guys has Pat mentored?” Spoelstra said. “Coaching and front office. I’m in there all the time where somebody will be calling him about advice. And Pat, they don’t have recognition like this, but if they ever did, he easily could be Hall of Fame in both — as a coach in this league and as an executive on its own. That’s how good he is.” -via ESPN / May 12, 2022 “Pat’s a visionary,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a force of nature. He has 50 years of experience in this league at the highest level. And has had as much success in this league as anyone. He has a blueprint, he has a way of making things happen, but he’s also adapted and adjusted. You don’t have this kind of success if you haven’t adapted over the years. I think that’s one of the things that gets overlooked a lot. He’s reinvented how we do it and how we put together teams, over and over and over, depending on the era.” -via ESPN / May 12, 2022 As you watch this season, are there any teams or players catching your attention? Julius Erving: Yeah, Memphis, man. I think Ja Morant is going to be a future Hall of Famer. He can easily be a Hall of Famer and maybe even an MVP. I think he’s in the discussion already. You have Nikola Jokic. You’ve got Joel in there. Luka Doncic. You have Giannis. You have Ja. Those are my top five guys right now in terms of the things required to be an MVP. Steph Curry was there before he got hurt. Then there is Devin Booker. Don’t forget Devin Booker! Don’t sleep on him because his team has the best record in the league, and part of the criteria is team success. -via For The Win / April 8, 2022