Erik Spoelstra doesn’t appear to be too riled up over his former player Michael Beasley’s recent comments about him.
Speaking on Friday before a game against Beasley’s New York Knicks, the Miami Heat coach responded to the shots that the former No. 2 pick took at him this week. Here is what he said, per Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald:
Spoelstra on Michael Beasley's criticism of him: "Jeez Beas you threw me under the bus man. We all root for Michael. He's one of the guys you like having around."
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) January 5, 2018
Spoelstra also added this, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel:
Spoelstra, on Beasley comments, "It's all good. I probably was crazy the first couple of years I was coaching."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 5, 2018
Earlier this week, Beasley, who played with the Heat for four total seasons, criticized Spoelstra for not believing in him enough during his Miami days. You can read the veteran forward’s full remarks here.
Indeed, Beasley’s first two seasons in Miami coincided with Spoelstra’s first two seasons as head coach. Since then however, Spoelstra has won two titles and become one of the most respected and longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, while Beasley is now at his tenth pro stop in just eight years. That may help explain the difference in their respective comments towards each other.
