Getty Joel Anthony of the Miami Heat during Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the AmericanAirlines Center
The Miami Heat, time and time again, have proven they have an eye for talent and find talent even among rather unknown players. Not only have they been able to find talent but also develop it through Heat Culture. Amongst the surprising talents, the Heat has found is the Canadian big man and an undrafted rookie out of UNLV, Joel Anthony. Anthony got a shot with the Heat in 2007 and quickly carved out a role on the Heat’s two championship-winning teams. He became a reliable big man in his time for the Heat and started 110 games for the Heat in his 7 seasons in South Beach.
Anthony found a place on the Heat’s roster with his defense, rebounding, and ability to create offense for his teammates with a solid screen. Accepting his role in Miami helped him be a mainstay as the big man anchor during the Heat’s big three era with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
Anthony’s last season in the NBA was in 2017 with the San Antonio Spurs and now in his post-NBA career, the former Heat big man was named general manager of the CEBL’s Montreal Alliance, one of the Canadian professional basketball league’s newest expansion franchises.
Joel Anthony on Bringing Heat Culture to GM Role
In a recent conversation with Wes Goldberg for the Miami Herald, Anthony talked about how his time in the Heat organization helped prepare him for his newest role.
“It’s helped tremendously,” Anthony said of his time in the NBA. “I was very fortunate and blessed to be in some really good organizations. I started out just about seven years in Miami, which is one of the blueprints and standards in terms of how to operate our organization.”
The Canadian native found himself serving as a player consultant for another CEBL team in 2020 and that eventually helped him land his newfound role as an executive for the Montreal expansion team, where he is in charge of not only players but building a successful organization from the coaching staff on.
“One of the biggest things that I notice across the board is details in terms of the different type of players, what you want from your coaches and from your staff, details within the operations of the organization, whether it’s transportation or food, or on the medical side,” Anthony said. “There’s just so many things that you have to look at. I’m fortunate to have been able to experience that at the highest level.”
Erik Spoelstra on Joel Anthony and His New Role
Goldberg also got comment from Anthony’s former coach as a member of the Heat, Erik Spoelstra. Spo noted Anthony’s work ethic and how it opens doors for him and his post-playing career.
“Everybody talks now about Miami Heat culture, Joel was one of the first ones,” Spoelstra said. “An undrafted guy who had a big chip on his shoulder, who committed to everything in the process to really carve out a great long career in the league, which opens the doors for other possibilities in this game.”
Spoelsta also noted that he believes the opportunity Anthony has gotten with the CEBL is an exciting one and that Anthony is a good fit for it.
“He’s a very sharp guy and he sees the big picture, and I think this does make a lot of sense,” Spoelstra said. “And jump-starting a program and building the culture from the ground up, I think would be really a fun experience.”