Spoelstra, who was recently named Team USA men’s basketball coach through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, was spotted on video outside the scene surveying the damage after the team’s plane arrived in the Miami area.
‘We found a fire that was as tall as the trees,’ Miami-Dade fire Battalion Chief Victoria Byrd told reporters.
Here’s a breakdown of what happened according to officials on the scene in Coral Gables, Florida, as well as what impact this could have on Spoelstra and the Miami Heat:
Erik Spoelstra house fire aftermath
As of about 9 a.m. on Thursday crews remained on scene monitoring for hot spots, a fire dispatcher told USA TODAY, and no injuries had been reported. Byrd said arriving crews found two structures on the property fully engulfed in flames and it was difficult to access the scene due to privacy walls. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire, officials added, but images circulating on social media and released by the Miami-Dade Fire Department indicate Spoelstra’s residence was mostly destroyed by the fire.
Erik Spoelstra Miami Heat coach impact
Spoelstra’s unfortunate house fire is another obstacle for the Heat to confront early on this season. The team has started the 2025-26 NBA season without guard Tyler Herro due to injury and lost guard Terry Rozier after he was arrested as part of the federal indictments announced in the NBA’s ongoing gambling scandal.
The Heat (4-4) are next scheduled to play at home on Friday, Nov. 7 against the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA Cup game. Spoelstra’s status for the game has not changed, although the team did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment on the situation.
Spoelstra, 55, is the longest-tenured coach in the NBA, beginning his 18th season leading the Heat. He’s won two NBA championships and made six NBA Finals appearances.