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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s home was destroyed in a fire early Thursday morning, the cause of which has not yet been determined.
No one was home when the house was engulfed in flames well before dawn: Spoelstra was flying back to Miami after a game in Denver and his children were at their mother’s house.
In his first comments since the fire, before Miami’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, Spoelstra thanked the “incredible” first responders.
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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)
“I want to thank the first responders, the police officers and the firefighters. They were incredible. They couldn’t save our house, but obviously, we’ve seen things that could have spread to the rest of the neighborhood. They were very kind while trying to put out all the flames,” he said. “The things in the house, those things can be replaced. And if they can’t be replaced, what does it really matter? This is really what matters. Family, those closest to us, our dog was safe too, thank God. We’re grateful. We’re grateful that everyone is safe and in a great place.”
Spoelstra said the Heat offered him a few days off if he needed to deal with personal matters, and he declined.
“The kids wanted to come to the game tonight,” Spoelstra said. “So I figured if they wanted to come to the game, then I better work.”
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s home burned down on November 6, 2025. (WSVN-TV)
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Spoelstra also thanked the “absolutely remarkable” South Florida community for their “overwhelming support.”
“People reach out and want to help. Obviously it’s been exceptionally challenging for our family, but the Spoelstras are resilient.”
The Heat scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter en route to their 126-108 victory. He later said that “in a perfect world, I’d rather go home” after the game.
Miami-Dade County firefighters said the fire was reported around 4:36 a.m. Spoelstra arrived at the scene shortly after the plane landed. Cameras showed Spoelstra arriving at the house and looking distraught, according to WSVN-TV in Miami.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat speaks to the media during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on May 17, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Firefighters initially focused on the garage of the multimillion-dollar home before flames began to spread across the property.
