Over the weekend, Miami Heat Governor Micky Arison was named a member of the 2025 Hall of Fame Class. The class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, later this year.
After he arrived on stage, he congratulated all of the other members of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.
“Thank you and congratulations to everybody up here. It’s been a fascinating 24 hours spent with you all—just a great experience,” said Arison.
“It was never my goal to be up here. My goal was to build an organization that the Miami community would be proud of—one that could compete at the highest levels. So I went out and got the best people I could, starting with Pat Riley, and they took it from there.”
He continued, “To me, this is an award and recognition of the efforts of the Miami Heat organization, all of its employees, and especially the great players we’ve had over the past 30 years. So, on their behalf, I’m accepting this award and thanking everyone for recognizing their efforts. Thank you.”
Micky Arison On Building Heat Culture
During the 2025 Hall Of Fame Class press conference interview, Arison was asked how he built the championship roster that included Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.
“We talk a lot about culture—and nowadays, a lot of people do. But really, it’s pretty simple. It’s about everybody doing their job. Show up on time, work hard, take pride in what you’re accomplishing, and support your teammates,” Arison said.
“We talk about enjoying each other’s successes, and that’s what it’s all about—working hard together. And hopefully, the outcome at the end is great. Of course, you need great players. We’ve been fortunate—especially during those four years we went to the Finals in a row—we had some pretty good players.”
On July 9, 2010, the big three signed six-year deals to win not one, two, three, or four. Sorry, I had to throw that one in there. According to former ESPN.com insider Chad Ford, “James and Bosh are scheduled to make $14.5 million and Wade $14 million in 2010-11.”
The Heat appeared in the next four NBA Finals but only won two against the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. After Miami lost in the 2014 Finals against the Spurs, James would not return.
LeBron James Would Elect To Sign With The Cleveland Cavaliers Before 2014 Season
In July 2014, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick reported that LeBron James had signed a two-year deal worth $42 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission,” James shared with SI. “I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.”
“To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough,” James told SI. “The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned — seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, ‘OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.’
But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?”
James and the Cavaliers finished the 2014-15 season by losing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.