Four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala believes Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan embodied Miami Heat culture before it gained its iconic reputation.
Iguodala spent two seasons with the Heat earlier in his career, so he knows what the organization’s culture is all about.
“I don’t think we understand what we watch when we see what M.J. was doing,” he said. “He was the most competitive player out there. He had that Heat culture before the Heat culture. His flaws that we saw was that everything turned into a competition.”
Jordan is known as one of the most competitive players in NBA history, and he was able to use that side of him to his advantage. The Hall of Famer won six championships during his career, never losing a series in the NBA Finals.
His competitive nature and work ethic also allowed him to earn countless accolades, including 14 All-Star nods, 10 scoring titles and five MVP awards.
Iguodala’s time with the Heat lasted two seasons, long enough for him to understand what the franchise is all about. In the 2019-20 campaign, he helped Miami reach the NBA Finals, but the squad came up short of winning it all.
While Iguodala certainly would have loved to capture a ring in 2020 with the Heat, he has no shortage of hardware in his collection. He owns four championship rings thanks to his time with the Golden State Warriors.
The Heat have been able to establish a culture built on hard work, accountability, conditioning and a refusal to quit — among other qualities. It has helped the team develop some underrated players into key contributors at the NBA level, and it has also helped the organization create some magical seasons when all seemed lost (like the 2022-23 campaign).
Jordan obviously never spent time with the Heat during his NBA career, but one has to imagine that he respects what the organization has built since his retirement. Miami didn’t have any NBA titles when the Bulls legend retired but has won three since (in 2006, 2012 and 2013).
The Heat are now looking to add another trophy to their collection, and depending on the way the remainder of their 2023 offseason unfolds, they may have a chance to accomplish that goal in the upcoming season.
