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Former Grizzlies coach LaRoche consulting with Spoelstra on Heat's thriving offense

Noah LaRoche, the coach credited with establishing 2024-25 Memphis drive-and-kick playstyle now has his hands in the 2025-26 Heat's screenless success
Ryan Kaminski|
Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn (left), head coach Erik Spoelstra (center), assistant coach Malik Allen and assistant coach Caron Butler (right) look on from the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn (left), head coach Erik Spoelstra (center), assistant coach Malik Allen and assistant coach Caron Butler (right) look on from the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Memphis GrizzliesMiami Heat

Drive-and-kick basketball isn't new, but perfecting it is an art form.

Noah LaRoche, Former Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach, has become a name associated wiith drive-and-kick basketball.

LaRoche is primarily credited with altering the Grizzlies' style-of-play in both the NBA and G League with the hopes of maximizing endless drive-and-kick relocation basketball.

When asked about this Grizzlies offense at the time, Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick dubbed the concept, The Wheel.

"They're going to get middle and they're going to get into their wheel concept and they're going to mess you up when they get middle." - JJ Redick

I asked then-Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies Taylor Jenkins about LaRoche's impact on those offensive principles, how Memphis was posting a Top-6 offense at the time while simultaneously running the fewest pick-and-rolls in the league.

"It's all about Advantage Creation." - Taylor Jenkins

Grizzlies basketball analyst Adam Pike joined me on the Learning Basketball podcast around this time to further detail this ever-rotating wheel-relocating floor-spacing coaching concept.

Adam details the coaching stylings and draft philosopies of Noah LaRoche before we analyze Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and breakdown the film of Thomas Lisalo’s "Iverson Follow" series & "Horns Out Chase" from when the current Grizzlies Head Coach was still an assistant on the staff.

As of Halloween, the numbers were off the charts for Miami. Can the Heat stay hot?

Coach Spoelstra
Nov 17, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts on the sideline against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images


Now, Noah LaRoche has been tabbed as a consultant for Miami Heat Head Coach Eric Spoelstra, as they take these concepts into overdrive.

Spoelstra referred to LaRoche as "a very creative offensive mind, somebody I really enjoy talking shop with and coming up with different ways of doing things," according to The Miami Herald.

Lisalo's Grizzlies, meanwhile, have returned to running pick-and-rolls, one of the highest marks in the league.

The Heat have cut the Grizzlies previous season's mark in half, running just under twenty on-ball picks per 100 possessions this year. (as of 11/31/25)

As of Halloween night, Miami rated 4th in Point Differential, predominantly from their 3rd-ranked defense, but also rating 11th in offense, 6th in scoring efficiency, and 10th at not turning the ball over.

Memphis rated 25th in Point Differential, 23rd in Offense, and 27th in Defense at that point in the year.

NBA Team Pick and Roll volume change since last season
NBA Team Pick and Roll volume change since last season | MANDATORY CREDIT: All-NBA Podcast/AllCity_NBA

Fast forward three weeks later, and the Heat's offense has come back down to Earth a little, but Miami is still leading the league in pace in a league that is playing faster by the day.

Ask Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley, who mentioned to me just last night in pregame of Magic-Clippers, “the pace of play is up I think ~4pts from last year… and that’s all around the league”.

Miami now rates 11th in Point Differential, 7th in Defense, and 13th in Offense.

The Heat have done well to not turn the ball over (7th), not foul (6th), and force tough shots. (2nd eFG%)

The Heat still don't even run six pick-and-rolls per game, the fewest of any team in the league, totaling 8 fewer possessions and 6% less frequent than the next closest team. Memphis is hovering around middle of the pack in how often they run P&R, currently at 17th in volume and frequency.

The test will be how long Miami can create advantages without the help of screens, and the question is if that is the best (simplest, easiest, most efficient) way to create advantages for your team.

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Ryan Kaminski
RYAN KAMINSKI

Ryan is a basketball scout data analyst who has been covering the Orlando Magic, NBA, and NBA Draft with a focus on roster building strategy, data analytics, film breakdowns, and player development since 2017. He is credentialed media for the Orlando Magic along with top high schools in Central Florida where he scouts talent in marquee matchups at Montverde Academy, IMG Academy, Oak Ridge, and the NBPA Top-100 Camp. He generates basketball data visualizations, formerly with The BBall Index. He has two B.A.s from Florida State University in Business Management and Business Marketing. Twitter/YouTube/Substack: @BeyondTheRK

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