Monty Williams thinks Eric Spoelstra is destined for the Hall of Fame

This week Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams had high praise for his counterpart with the Miami Heat. Eric Spoelstra, while never having led a team to an 8-0 record in a bubble during a pandemic, has put together a very impressive career on the sidelines. And Monty thinks that career is worthy of the Hall of Fame.

“I believe that Spo is gonna go down in the history of the game as one of the best coaches in the history of our game,” Williams told NBA Republika Huddle presented by NBA Philippines.

“Now, he’s viewed as probably one of the Top 5, maybe Top 3 coaches in the NBA,” Williams said. “I watch certain coaches and programs around the league, and I’ve been watching Spo for a long time. I respect what he does, I respect his approach.”

The 49-year-old Spoelstra started his career with in Miami as a video coordinator in 1995. In 2008 he took the reins from head coach Pat Riley. In that time he’s led the Heat the Finals five times, and collected a pair of championships.

“He’s gone from basically ground and pound when he first started, and now they’re basically free-flowing and shooting 40 3s a night,” said Williams. “And he’s always been able to get the most out of his group.”

Spoelstra is the winningest coach in Miami history, and closing in on 600 wins in his career. His .613 winning percentage in the postseason puts him at 12th on the all time list, just ahead of Riley.

“I have a great deal of respect for Spo. He’s gonna be in the Hall of Fame someday. He’s been able to win in different ways,” Williams added.

“I think you guys should be proud of him, and I really believe he’s gonna go down as one of the best coaches in the history of the game.”

Watch the whole interview here.