Heat Owner Micky Arison Looks Back Before Hall of Fame Enshrinement
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Hours before he enters the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night, longtime Miami Heat majority owner Micky Arison spoke publicly about his 30-year tenure atop the franchise.
“I’m appreciative. It’s an honor, but it was never a goal,” Arison told reporters Friday, noting that his focus has always been on championships rather than personal recognition. Since he assumed control in 1995, the Heat have reached the NBA Finals seven times and captured three titles.
Arison, elected in his first year on the ballot, has rarely addressed the media in recent years; according to The Miami Herald, Friday’s appearance was his first session with beat writers since 2013. He selected team president Pat Riley and Heat icons Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade as his Hall of Fame presenters.
“Pat was with me almost from the very beginning. Zo came in our first year, and from there the culture was created. Dwyane took it to the top—he’s the greatest player in Heat history,” Arison said.
Training-camp competitions ahead
With camp opening later this month, the Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman highlighted several position battles. Rookie center Kelel Ware and third-year forward Nikola Jović are expected to compete for a starting front-court spot, while Tyler Herro and newly acquired Davion Mitchell will vie for late-game point-guard duties.
Winderman projects Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell to open camp in the first unit. Powell is entering the final season of his contract, and Wiggins holds a player option for 2026-27, leaving both veterans’ long-term futures tied to head coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotation decisions.
Jakucionis’ roster path
First-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis struggled during Summer League play, raising the possibility of G League seasoning. However, Winderman reports that a strong camp and preseason could keep the Lithuanian guard on the NBA roster from day one.
Highsmith bids farewell
Forward Haywood Highsmith, traded to the Brooklyn Nets last month, offered a farewell message to Miami on Instagram. “You gave an undrafted kid from Baltimore a chance and I’m forever grateful,” he wrote, adding that the city “will always have a special place in my heart.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
