Miami Heat media day kicks off the NBA season for the Miami Heat. Media from many different outlets, radio, tv, online, all congregate to the American Airlines Arena in Miami to get their fill of photos and interviews from the Miami Heat players and coaches. This year’s Heat media day had a different feel to it as it was all about Dwyane Wade and rightfully so. Wade is retiring at the end of the season and training camp begins his farewell tour.
The other big story circulating the Heat media day was the trade rumors involving Jimmy Butler. Prior to the press conferences, Heat management made it clear that the media were not to ask about potential trade rumors. Either way the media day had a different feel to it. It felt melancholy; as if someone had died.
After the initial press conferences from head coach, Erik Spoelstra, and Dwyane Wade the media left the press conference room and made their way upstairs to the practice gym where it was transformed into a giant meet an greet room. Chairs were strewn about, arranged facing each other so the player could sit face to face with the interviewers. Backgrounds and studio lights were on the other side of the gym lined side by side. Players were shuffled from photographer to photographer posing this and that way.
To be honest, I’m not sure the players enjoy media day as much as the media people do. The players were forced to answer the same question over and over from every person they interviewed. They know the have to have their photos taken and make small talk with reporters, but they know that media day kicks off training camp and playing basketball so media day is just something they have to do in order to start playing competitive basketball again.
With Heat media day out of the way, it’s time to start focusing on the upcoming NBA season. The Heat feel confident that they can be competitive and challenge in the Eastern Conference against the likes of Boston and Philly. After 82 games we will see where the Miami Heat end up. If they have their way it will be playing for the NBA championship in Dwyane Wade’s final season. There is no better way to send of Wade than with another ring.
