MIAMI – As the Miami Heat look to hopefully compete in the playoffs this season, the team is celebrating the news of owner Micky Arison being inducted into the Class of 2025 in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. With the Heat looking to solidify its play-in tournament status, it could lead to more success for the team under Arison who has been the owner for the last 29 seasons.
Under Arison, he was at the forefront of bringing Pat Riley to the organization which led to winning ways for Miami with three championships (2006, 2012, 2013) and seven NBA Finals appearances. Head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke before Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks and said that Arison has “been a blessing to South Florida sports” and made the city a “basketball town.”
“We’re thrilled for him,” Spoelstra said. “Very similar to my thoughts when he was nominated for it, he’s been a blessing to South Florida sports. We’ve been able to put basketball on the map in South Florida and previously, it was a football city. Now it’s many different things, but it’s definitely a basketball town, and it’s because of his influence.”
“He’s an awesome person to work for, him and his family create such an environment and a structure that you feel like you can maximize your potential,” Spoelstra continued. “You feel a responsibility and a great way to be able to take this culture and continue to evolve it because of its history. But the Arisons are just good people, great people. You love seeing great people get acknowledged and I couldn’t be more excited for him and his family.”
Micky Arison joins the prestigious Heat club regarding the Hall of Fame
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The Heat owner in Arison will now be the 11th person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with ties to the organization as the steward mentioned eight of them in his statement about the recognition. One person he would highlight is Riley as he called him his “dear friend” on top of being joyous to the occasion.
“I am deeply honored to be joining HEAT greats Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O’Neal, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway, Gary Payton and of course my dear friend Pat Riley in the Basketball Hall of Fame,” Arison said in his statement. “When my father Ted Arison brought the HEAT to Miami almost 40 years ago, he did not do so for accolades.”
“He did it because he thought it was best for Miami. Madeleine, Nick, Kelly, and I have been the proud stewards of that vision and are so proud of what the HEAT mean both in our community and to fans around the world. For some, this is an individual honor. But for me, this speaks to what our entire HEAT family – players, coaches, staff, and fans – have built together. I look forward to enshrinement weekend in September, as well as future enshrinement weekends where more members of our HEAT family will enter the Basketball Hall of Fame.”
At any rate, Miami looks for more success under Arison this season as before Saturday’s game against the Bucks, the team was 35-42 which put them 10th in the Eastern Conference.
