NBA-iHeart ‘Hoops Paradise’ podcasts dive into Filipinos’ love of basketball

The new show will feature special interviews with prominent Filipino-American sports figures exploring the Philippines’ unique love affair with the game of basketball. iHEART/NBA

NEW YORK –– A six-episode podcast series explores the Philippines’ unique love affair with basketball and the NBA, and how the sport became a source of pride for the country, iHeartPodcasts and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced.

On “Hoops Paradise: The Philippines’ Love Of The Game,” each week, ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth and Titan’s Nikko Ramos will explore how the Philippines came to be a nation of Hoop Heads, from the origins of the world’s second professional basketball league to Filipino Americans in the NBA today.

ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth and Titan’s Nikko Ramos will explore how the Philippines came to be a nation of Hoop Heads.

(“Hoops Paradise: The Philippines’ Love of The Game,” is available now. Listen to episode 1 HERE.)

The first episode features interviews with Raymond Townsend, the first Filipino American player in the NBA; Tim Cone, the most accomplished coach in Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) history with 25 titles; Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra; ESPN Host Pablo Torre; and NBA G-League Assistant Coach Jimmy Alapag.

“Through our partnership with the NBA, we are honored to share these incredible stories with millions of basketball fans and iHeartPodcast listeners across the world,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts.

Throughout the season, co-hosts and sports experts Cassidy Hubbarth and Nikko Ramos will lead in-depth discussions with key figures from the PBA and NBA – past and present – to fully capture and explore the Philippines’ love for the game of basketball.

Hubbarth is a Filipino American reporter and host for several of ESPN’s signature properties, most prominently the NBA. She serves as a full-time reporter for ESPN game telecasts throughout the regular season and during the NBA Playoffs. Hubbarth has served as a regular college football studio host on ESPN and ABC and a WNBA studio host on ESPN. Ramos is a veteran sportscaster, writer and producer with decades of experience covering basketball, from the NBA to local leagues in the Philippines.

“Hoops Paradise: The Philippines’ Love of The Game” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.