Erik Jon Spoelstra, born on the 1st of November, 1970, is an American basketball coach who professionally works for the National Basketball Association team Miami Heat. He became famous for bringing the Miami Hit in the finals four times in a row and for winning two of them in 2012 and 2013.
So how much is Spoelstra’s net worth? As of early 2017, based on authoritative sources it is reported to be $10 million acquired from his years in the industry of professional basketball.
Erik Spoelstra Net Worth $10 million
Born in Evanston, Illinois, Spoelstra is the son of Jon Spoelstra, a former executive of various NBA teams like Portland Trail Blazers, Buffalo Braves, New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets. His mother on the other hand is Elisa Celino who originated from the Philippines. He spent most of growing up years in Buffalo, New York and Portland, Oregon. He later attended Jesuit High School where his love for basketball started. He played point guard and his excellent performance led him to a basketball scholarship in college.
After high school, Spoelstra went to University of Portland where he once again played as point guard. His great performance earned him an award as freshmen of the year at the West Coast Conference. He also became part of his school’s 1,000-point club. In 1992, he graduated with a degree in communications.
Right after college, Spoelstra worked for TuS Herten, a German professional basketball club, in which he was a player/assistant coach for two years. This was his first professional job as a basketball player and coach and also started his net worth.
Although Spoelstra was already doing well with the German Team, National Basketball Association team Miami Heat offered him a position. He decided to take the offer and in 1995, he became the team’s video coordinator. After two years, he moved to becoming an assistant coach/video coordinator. In 1999, he moved again upwards to becoming an assistant coach/advance scout. After two years, he became the team’s assistant coach/ director of scouting, a position he held for almost seven years. Although he started at the bottom, his persistence helped him move up and also tremendously increase his wealth.
In 2008, after years of working with the Miami Heat, Spoelstra became the head coach of the team. His appointment as the new head coach brought a fresh take on the team as he is one of the youngest to head the team. One of his most memorable achievements was in 2011 when he brought the Miami Heat to the finals. He did it for four consecutive years and won two championships in 2012 and 2013. He became the first Asian American head coach to win an NBA Championship and also the first Asian American head coach in history of the four major North American sports leagues.These victories helped his career and also helped his net worth.
Aside from working for the Miami Heat, Spoelstra also participates in the SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State.
In terms of his personal life, Spoelstra is engaged to Nikki Sapp, a former cheerleader for the Miami Heat.
