Team Spotlight: Miami Heat

The Miami Heat is a professional basketball (NBA or National Basketball Association) team founded in 1988. They play in the Southeast division, Eastern conference. Florida's Miami-located American Airlines Arena is where they play their home games. Their colors are red, black, and yellow, and they’re sponsored by Ultimate Software.

Three NBA Championships have been won by the Miami Heat. Of all 32 NBA teams, possibly their most significant rivals include the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks.

Personnel

The Miami Heat lists the following as their personnel:

• Mickey Arison – owner
• Erik Spoelstra – head coach
• Andy Elisburg – general manager
• Pat Riley – president

… and an affiliation with Sioux Falls Sky Force.

Titles and Championships

• No less than 14 division titles have been won by the Miami Heat in the following years: 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014 to 2011, 2007 to 2005, 2000, and 1999 to 1997.
• Conference titles, a total of five, were won in 2006, and 2011 through 2014.
• Championships were won as recently as 2013, but also in 2012 and 2006.

Significant Players and Numbers

There have been many remarkable players who have, at one time or another, been members of the Miami Heat. Numbers currently retired include:

• 33 (Alonzo Mourning)
• 32 (Shaquille O'Neal)
• 23 (Michael Jordan)
• 10 (Tim Hardaway)
• 3 (Dwayne Wade)
• 1 (Chris Bosh)

Oddly, perhaps, of the players being assigned those numbers, all but one was an actual Miami Heat player. The odd man out, Michael Jordan (number 23), was in honor of his amazing career. The tribute was done during the 2002 to 2003 season by Pat Riley before his final game as Miami coach.

Four players and one Miami Heat coach are in the Basketball Hall of Fame. These include the following:

• Head coach Pat Riley inducted in 2008.
• Guard Ray Allen (number 34) inducted in 2018.
• Center Shaquille O'Neal (number 32) inducted in 2016.
• Center/forward Alonzo Mourning (number 33) inducted in 2014.
• Guard Gary Payton (number 20) inducted in 2013.

Make Room for the All-Stars!

Some of the most memorable Miami Heat players, some of whom are listed above as a Hall of Famers, include the following All-Stars:

• Bam Adebayo
• Jimmy Butler
• Goran Dragic
• Anthony Mason
• Tim Hardaway
• Shaquille O'Neal
• Chris Bosh
• Lebron James
• Alonzo Mourning
• Dwayne Wade

All-Star head coaches include the following:

• Erik Spoelstra
• Stan Van Gundy

Other All-Star designations include the following (the years vary from player to player, but range from as early as 1993 to as recently as 2020):

• Dwayne Wade – game MVP
• Bam Adebayo and Dwayne Wade as skills challenge champions.
• James Jones, Daequan Cook, Jason Kapono, and Glenn Rice as three-point shootout champions.
• Derek Jones Jr. and Harold Miner as slam dunk contest champions.
• Chris Bosh as shooting star contest champion.

Where to Get Your Miami Heat Caps

Hat Heaven has a number of Miami Heat hats. All of these hats feature the Miami logo on the front in bright, eye-catching “Glo” pink, blue, or purple. Wear one of these and you’re sure to be spotted! These New Era 9Fifty and 59Fifty caps come in both fitted and snapback styles.

For those who are just big fans of Miami in general, we also carry Miami Marlins and Miami Dolphins hats. Some of these come in Glo colors, as do those above, or just basic colors and logos.