It’s only a couple of months left until the 2024 presidential elections, and the heat is turning up (no pun intended). In a recent debate versus Vice President Kamala Harris, Republican candidate Donald Trump commented on Haitian immigrants that stirred controversy. Trump said immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the dogs… They are eating the cats.” In response, the Miami Heat released a statement condemning Donald Trump’s comments and celebrating immigrants, including those from Haiti.

“The Miami Heat staff, like Miami itself, is a diverse and brilliant mix of vibrant cultures, including many members of our Haitian community. The false narrative surrounding them is hurtful and offensive and has sadly made innocent people targets of hateful speech and physical threats,” the statement read, via the Heat’s official account on X, formerly Twitter.

The Heat sound off on Donald Trump, immigrants, and Haiti

Miami Heat lift the 2025 Summer League Champions trophy after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime at Thomas & Mack Center.
© Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Per their statement, the team is correct. The team’s staff and roster are a diverse mix of ethnicities and cultures. For one, two-time NBA champion head coach, and one of the most coveted coaches in the league, Erik Spoelstra is of Filipino descent. Likewise, 2024 All-Defensive First Team Bam Adebayo is of Nigerian heritage.

Florida itself, like many big cities in the United States, is a melting pot of the world’s cultures, brought there by immigrants from across the world, including the Haitians.

Besides, releasing this statement is brave on the Heat’s part, as it would potentially alienate a significant portion of their fanbase who might be sympathetic to Trump’s views. Similar to 2016, the former president has relied on divisive rhetoric and pithy catchphrases to appeal to the crowds and help him win.

The Heat’s reasoning might be that they don’t need fans like that, to begin with. Moreover, this statement might start the ball rolling and push other teams and other sports leagues to do the same.

What’s next?

Meanwhile, the team also looks to bounce back from a disappointing first-round loss to the eventual champions Boston Celtics last season. Stumbling into the postseason, the team didn’t have as much firepower as they needed, due to the injuries among Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.

Ahead of next season, they may not have enough weapons either. Two-way shooter Gabe Vincent had signed with the Lakers in free agency before last season, while core member of the 2023 Finals team Caleb Martin went to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Look for them to place more responsibility on the shoulders of promising second-year player Jaime Jaquez, Jr. and push the development of young Serbian forward Nikola Jovic, among others.

However, the Heat’s title window is rapidly closing, given that Butler is already 35 years old, with lots of mileage on his legs. They’ll have to keep him healthy throughout the regular season, which might mean load management and additions to Adebayo’s workload.