1968: Miami Floridians Established
In 1968, Miami was home to the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association (ABA).
1972: Miami Floridians End
In 1972, the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association (ABA) ended.
1987: NBA Expansion Team Granted
In 1987, the NBA granted one of four new expansion teams to Miami. The other teams were the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
November 1988: Miami Heat Began Play
1988: Heat Games on WQAM
1988: Original Miami Heat Uniforms Unveiled
In 1988, prior to the 1988-89 season, the original Miami Heat uniforms were unveiled. The home uniforms were white with red lettering, black and orange trim, while the away uniforms were black with red, white and orange trim. The uniforms featured simple striping on the right side, the 'flaming ball' logo on the left leg, and the word 'Miami' on the right leg of the shorts.
1988: "City" uniform number font based on 1988-99 uniforms
The number font on the "City" uniform was based on the 1988-99 uniforms.
1992: Pacers Hold Heat Under 70 Points Since 1992
In Game 3 of the series between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers on May 22, 2013, the Heat set a team record for points in a postseason half with 70. It was the first time since 1992 that the Pacers had given up 70 points in the first half of a game.
1993: Heat Games on WINZ
1995: 51 personal fouls were the most in a playoff game since 1995
During the 2013 NBA playoffs game between Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, the 51 personal fouls were the most in a playoff game since 1995.
1995: Loughery Fired, Gentry Interim Head Coach
In 1995, Kevin Loughery was fired 46 games into the 1994–95 season. Alvin Gentry replaced Loughery as interim head coach.
1996: Heat Games on WIOD
1997: Miami Heat beat Orlando Magic 3-2 in 1997 NBA playoffs
In 1997, Miami Heat beat Orlando Magic 3-2 in their first NBA playoffs encounter.
2001: Introduction of Alternate Red Uniform
During the 2001-02 season, the Miami Heat introduced an alternate red uniform, featuring the city name and numbers in white with black trim. Subtle changes like the "Miami" wordmark on the black uniforms and the addition of the "MH" alternate logo on the shorts have kept these uniforms in use today.
2001: Departure of Alonzo Mourning
2002: Departure of Tim Hardaway
2002: Riley Retires as Head Coach
In the 2002–03 season, Pat Riley announced his retirement as head coach of the Miami Heat but remained as team president and elevated assistant coach Stan Van Gundy as his replacement.
2003: Drafting of Dwyane Wade
In 2003, the Miami Heat experienced success after drafting Dwyane Wade.
2004: Acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal
In 2004, the Miami Heat engineered a summer blockbuster trade for Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers.
2004: Missed Playoffs After Finals Appearance
In 2004, the Miami Heat missed the playoffs, marking the first time since the 2004-05 Los Angeles Lakers that a team failed to make the playoffs after reaching the NBA Finals the previous year. This also signified only the second time in Dwyane Wade's career that the team did not qualify for the postseason.
2004: Indiana Pacers won 4-2 against the Miami Heat in the 2004 NBA playoffs
The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers previously met in the 2004 NBA playoffs, with Indiana winning 4–2.
2005: Riley Returns as Head Coach
Early into the 2005–06 season, Pat Riley came out of retirement to replace Stan Van Gundy as the Miami Heat's head coach.
2006: Riley Wins Fifth Championship
In 2006, Pat Riley won his fifth and final NBA championship as a head coach, as well as Miami's first championship.
2006: First NBA Title
In 2006, led by Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O'Neal, the Miami Heat won their first NBA title. Pat Riley named himself head coach for a second stint.
2006: NBA Championship Victory
In 2006, the Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals and then defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals to capture their first-ever championship. Dwyane Wade won the Finals MVP award.
2006: Miami Heat won series 4-2 against Chicago Bulls in 2006 NBA playoffs
In 2006, the Miami Heat faced the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs, resulting in a 4–2 Heat series victory. The Heat went on to win the NBA Finals.
2006: Mavericks last reached the NBA Finals
In 2010, it was mentioned that since the 2006 NBA Finals, the Mavericks had been defeated in the first round all but one time.
2007: Playoff Sweep by Chicago Bulls
In 2007, the Miami Heat experienced a 4–0 sweep by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
2007: Riley to Retire
Pat Riley would retire following the 15-win 2007-08 season.
2008: WIOD Aired Last Heat Games
2008: Spoelstra Hired as Head Coach
In 2008, Erik Spoelstra was hired as the Miami Heat's head coach.
2008: Boston Celtics upset Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008
In 2008, the Boston Celtics upset the Cleveland Cavaliers during LeBron James' first stint with the team.
2008: Paul Pierce considers Ray Allen "a brother" for their 2008 championship run
In the off-season, the Celtics' Big 3 was broken up following Ray Allen's joining of the Heat. Paul Pierce admitted that it "hurt", though he still considers Allen "a brother to me" for their 2008 championship run.
2009: Wade Scoring Champion
In 2009, Dwyane Wade was the scoring champion in the NBA.
2010: Formation of the "Big 3"
Entering the 2010 NBA season with nearly $48 million in salary cap space, the Miami Heat added Chris Bosh and LeBron James, starting the "Big 3" era.
2010: Wade Named All-Star MVP
In 2010, Dwyane Wade was the NBA All-Star MVP.
2010: Boston Celtics upset Cleveland Cavaliers again in 2010
In 2010, the Boston Celtics upset the Cleveland Cavaliers again during LeBron James' first stint with the team.
2010: Celtics defeated the Heat in the 2010 playoffs
In 2010, the Celtics defeated the Heat four games to one in the playoffs, prompting Dwyane Wade to declare that it would be "my last" first-round loss for the near future.
2010: Cleveland Cavaliers off-season
In 2010, the Cleveland Cavaliers focused on how it would maintain itself without LeBron.
2010: The Heat acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010
In 2010, the Miami Heat acquired LeBron James from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors, resulting in fierce competition with the Orlando Magic.
2010: Heat Acquire LeBron James and Chris Bosh
In the 2010 off-season, the Miami Heat acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh to team up with Dwyane Wade and form their own 'big three'.
December 25, 2011: Heat defeat Mavericks on banner-raising night
On December 25, 2011, the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105–94 on their championship banner-raising night during the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season.
2011: Miami Heat defeated Chicago Bulls in the 2011 Eastern Conference finals
In 2011, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls rivalry intensified, and both teams met in the Eastern Conference finals, with the Heat winning in five games.
2011: Reached NBA Finals
In 2011, the Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006, in a rematch against the Dallas Mavericks, but lost the series.
2011: Miami Heat defeated Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2011 NBA playoffs
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics met in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2011 NBA playoffs. Paul Pierce was ejected in Game 1, Dwyane Wade inadvertently broke Rajon Rondo's arm in Game 3 and James scored the final 10 points in the deciding Game 5.
2012: Heat Win NBA Championship
In 2012, Erik Spoelstra led the Miami Heat to their first of back-to-back NBA Championships.
2012: Miami Heat defeated Boston Celtics in the 2012 NBA Playoffs
In the 2012 NBA playoffs, the Heat again took home-court advantage over the Celtics, but Boston won the season series over the Heat. Despite the loss of Bosh to injury in the semifinals, the Heat took a 2–0 lead before the Celtics won the next three games. James' 45-point performance in Game 6 at Boston forced a deciding seventh game, where Miami pulled away with a 4–3 victory en route to the 2012 NBA Finals.
2012: Miami Heat won 4-2 against the Indiana Pacers in the 2012 NBA playoffs
In the 2012 NBA playoffs, the Heat faced the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Miami won the series, 4–2, despite Chris Bosh being sidelined with an abdominal strain. The series was marked by several suspensions, flagrant fouls, and confrontations between the players.
May 22, 2013: Heat and Pacers Meet in Conference Finals
On May 22, 2013, the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers met in the conference finals of the 2013 NBA playoffs, marking the beginning of a physical and contentious series.
2013: Heat beat Celtics during the 2013 streak
During Miami's 2013 streak, Paul Pierce went on record to say that he wished for Miami to lose all of its remaining games by that point. The Heat beat Celtics ending on a Heat victory.
2013: Nicknames on Uniforms
During the 2013-14 season, the Miami Heat wore a variation of their current home uniforms with player nicknames on the back, such as 'King James' for LeBron James, for select home games.
2013: Heat Win NBA Championship
In 2013, Erik Spoelstra led the Miami Heat to their second of back-to-back NBA Championships.
2013: Miami Heat Continued Success
In 2013, the Miami Heat struggled throughout the season with extended absences of Dwyane Wade, who only played 54 games due to injury and ended on an 11–14 record entering the playoffs. They entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference second seed with a record of 54–28 team, and with the "Big 3" healthy.
2013: Miami Heat played against Chicago Bulls in the 2013 NBA playoffs
In the 2013 NBA playoffs, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls played in the second round. The Bulls ended a Miami Heat winning streak, but the Heat set a record for the largest margin of victory in franchise playoff history with a 115–78 win in Game 2.
2013: Original Black Uniforms Reintroduced as Throwbacks
In the 2013-14 season, the original black uniforms were used as throwback uniforms.
July 11, 2014: LeBron James Leaves Miami Heat
On July 11, 2014, LeBron James announced he would leave the Miami Heat and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2014: Udonis Haslem was the only player left from either team since 2004
As of 2014, Udonis Haslem of the Heat was the only player still left from either team when the two teams met in the 2004 NBA playoffs.
2014: Heat Eliminate Pacers in 2014 NBA Playoffs
In the 2014 NBA playoffs, after beating the Brooklyn Nets, and the Pacers beating the Washington Wizards, the Heat and the first-seeded Pacers met in the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat would eliminate the Pacers 4–2, advancing to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.
2015: 2015-16 Season and Playoff Result
During the 2015-16 season, the Heat achieved a 48-34 regular season record. The season concluded with a loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Conference Semifinals.
2015: White El Heat Uniform Worn
For the 2014-15 season, the Heat wore their white uniforms with the "El Heat" wordmark, followed by the Noche Latina version of their red alternates in the 2015-16 season.
July 6, 2016: Dwyane Wade Leaves Miami Heat for Chicago Bulls
On July 6, 2016, Dwyane Wade announced his departure from the Miami Heat to join his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls.
September 2016: Bosh Fails Physical and Team Doubts Return
In September 2016, Chris Bosh failed his physical exam with the Heat, and the team was no longer working towards his return, according to Heat president Riley on September 26, 2016.
2016: Departure of the Big Three
By 2016, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh departed from the Miami Heat, and the team entered a period of rebuilding.
2016: Free Agency Disagreements with Dwyane Wade
During the 2016 free agency period, disagreements arose between Dwyane Wade and Heat president Pat Riley regarding Wade's contract demands.
2017: Heat replaced red "HEAT Culture" uniform with the 2017-18 "Miami Vice" uniform temporarily
Midway through the 2024-25 season, the Heat retired the red "HEAT Culture" uniform in favor of the 2017-18 white "Miami Vice" uniform, which they wore as a temporary substitute to the primary white "Association" uniform for the rest of the season.
February 8, 2018: Dwyane Wade Re-Acquired by Heat
On February 8, 2018, Dwyane Wade was re-acquired by the Miami Heat from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2019: Acquisition of Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Tyler Herro Draft
In 2019, Miami acquired All-Star Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, and Jae Crowder, and drafted Kentucky shooting guard Tyler Herro.
2019: Pink Miami Vice Uniform Unveiled
In the 2018-19 season, the Miami Heat unveiled a pink version of the Miami Vice uniform as part of Nike's "Earned" series, exclusive to teams in the 2018 NBA playoffs.
February 2020: Dwyane Wade Jersey Retirement
In February 2020, Dwyane Wade's jersey was retired by the Miami Heat.
October 2020: Loss to Los Angeles Lakers in NBA Finals
In October 2020, after participating in the NBA Bubble following the suspension of the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Miami Heat lost to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals in six games.
2020: Heat won against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in 2020
From 2020 to 2023, the Heat and the Celtics faced each other in the Eastern Conference finals for three out of four of the years. The Heat won the first meeting in 2020.
2020: Miami earned "Earned" uniform after making the 2020 NBA playoffs
Miami earned the right to wear the "Earned" uniform in 2021 after making the 2020 NBA playoffs.
2021: Miami's 2021 "Earned" uniform marked the first time the team used yellow as a base color
In 2021, Miami's "Earned" uniform marked the first time the team used yellow as a base color; previously it was only utilized as an accent color on the logo and uniforms. Letters were rendered in black with white trim, but red was not used at all in the uniform.
2021: Off-season Departures and Acquisitions
In 2021, the Miami Heat witnessed the departures of Dragić and Iguodala, and acquired Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker.
August 11, 2022: NBA Retires Bill Russell's Number 6
On August 11, 2022, the NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its member teams.
2022: Finished Regular Season as 7th Seed
In the 2022-23 season, the Heat finished the regular season as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the play-in tournament; however, they managed to clinch their division title.
2023: Heat won against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in 2023
From 2020 to 2023, the Heat and the Celtics faced each other in the Eastern Conference finals for three out of four of the years. The Heat won the third meeting in 2023.
2023: NBA Finals Appearance
2023: 2023-24 Season Finish
In the 2023-24 season, the Heat finished as the 8th seed and lost to the Celtics in the first round.
2024: Riley Criticizes Butler
After the 2023-24 season, Pat Riley criticized Jimmy Butler for his behavior, failing to reach an agreement on an extension before the 2024-25 season.
2024: Jaime Jaquez Jr. wears modified "HEAT Culture" uniform during All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest
In 2024, Jaime Jaquez Jr. wore a modified version of the "HEAT Culture" uniform during the All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest, featuring "EL HEAT CULTURA" to acknowledge his Mexican American heritage.
2024: Celtics won the championship in 2024
In 2024, the Heat and Celtics faced off in the first round, but the Heat were playing without Jimmy Butler, and the Celtics won the championship that year.
February 5, 2025: Butler Traded to Golden State Warriors
On February 5, 2025, Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors in a multi-team deal after suspensions and disagreement on extension.
October 1, 2025: Roster Updated
2025: Trade of Jimmy Butler
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