SUMMARY
- Erik Spoelstra recently went through a divorce with his ex-wife, Niki Sapp, which garnered attention in the media.
- Niki Sapp, Erik's ex-wife, is a former Miami Heat dancer and a podcast host of 'The Know with Nikki Spo.'
Erik Spoelstra is arguably one of the most renowned head coaches in the history of the NBA. He holds the record of second-longest active tenured head coach in the league. Notably, Erik is currently in his 16th season as the head coach of the Miami Heat. He often makes headlines for his remarkable guidance and strategy, however, last year, Erik’s divorce from his (now ex-wife) Niki Sapp stormed the internet.
This has also made fans curious about Erik’s ex-wife and what she does. Notably, Erik has had the most successful coaching career. He debuted in the league as an assistant coach and director of scouting of the Heat in 2001 and served for seven seasons. After this, he was promoted to head coach in 2008, leading the team to some of the most remarkable wins.
Furthermore, he has directed the Heat to three NBA Championship titles. One of these was during his time as an assistant coach, whereas, the other two as the head coach. All of the impressive success has led him to recently sign an eight-year contract extension worth around $120 million. The news of this has left everyone stunned as it is a revolutionary moment in the salaries of head coaches in the NBA.
Niki Sapp is a former Miami Heat dancer and podcaster
It is undeniable that Erik Spoelstra’s journey has been a remarkable one. On the other, his ex-wife Niki Sapp who came into the spotlight after coming into a relationship with Erik has had an impressive journey herself. She is a former Miami Heat dancer and host of the podcast ‘The Know with Nikki Spo.‘ Notably, Niki went to Miami International University of Art & Design and graduated with a degree in fashion design on full scholarship.
Furthermore, she was a director at the Hepner Contemporary Art Gallery which is located in West Hollywood, California. Not only this, her career journey also took her to the profession of a teacher. Niki taught Language Arts to middle school students in South Florida. Notably, Erik‘s ex-wife received the prestigious Teacher of the Year award.
Additionally, she met Erik for the first time when she was cheerleading for the Heat. Niki was still a student at the time and the two reportedly started dating after Niki left the team and was a director at the gallery. The two walked down the aisle in 2016 and went on to welcome three children, Santiago, Dante, and Ruby. She changed her name to ‘Nikki Spoelstra‘ after getting married to Erik.
After being married for seven years, they decided to part ways. The two said “We have made the difficult yet amicable decision to jointly file to formally end our marriage” in a joint statement that was issued by the Miami Herald. In addition to this, they disclosed that they will continue to work as a team and co-parent their three children. Fans await to see how things unfold between the two and where their journeys take them.