FilAm coach Erik Spoelstra makes history in NBA, vows to bring trophy to Manila

MIAMI/MANILA – Filipino American coach Erik Spoesltra has made history becoming the first FilAm and Asian American to coach a champion team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) games.

Spoelstra, whose mother hails from San Pablo City in Laguna, has reportedly vowed to bring the Miami Heat championship trophy in the NBA to the Philippines during his coming visit.
Malacañang extended its congratulations to  head coach of the Miami Heat for successfully steering his team through the  NBA championship after beating the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder in a decisive game five last week.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte conveyed the message over Radyo ng Bayan (DZRB) Saturday, saying that while the government doesn’t want to pick a side over the competing teams, they would like to give a congratulatory shoutout to the Fil-Am basketball coach.
“Congratulations to Coach Erik Spoelstra. We did not want to… As I mentioned earlier, we do not take sides but special mention and a very big congratulations to Coach Erik Spoelstra,” Valte said.
Valte also welcomed Spoelstra’s reported statement that he would bring the NBA trophy to the Philippines. “That would be good. Maraming fans si ‘Coach Spo’ dito sa Pilipinas that would like to also convey their congratulations and I’m sure a lot of fans will be excited,” she said.
With the Miami Heat’s recent victory, the 41-year-old Spoelstra becomes the first Asian-American head coach to have won an NBA championship. He is often regarded by fans as the “Heart of the Heat” and is well-respected among the team’s staff and players.
A proud Filipino, Spoelstra has been visiting the Philippines during NBA’s off-season to promote a healthy and active lifestyle among youths through basketball clinics via the NBA FIT program. He was welcomed by President Benigno S. Aquino III last year when he paid a courtesy call in Malacañang.
Spoelstra is the son of Elisa Celino, a Filipina from San Pablo, Laguna, and Jon Spoelstra — an American of Dutch and Irish descent — who was an NBA executive for the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets.