Miami Heat’s Spoelstra wants to do another hoops camp in PH

Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra went to the Philippines in 2011 and spearheaded the NBA FIT program by conducting clinics for kids. NBA

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, named one of the NBA’s 15 greatest coaches, said he plans to hold another special basketball camp in the Philippines.

Spoelstra said he hopes Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green, also a Filipino American, would be part of the event. The two crossed paths at the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

“I wanted to make sure that I bumped into [Jalen] at some point this weekend and just say Mabuhay. I wanna get something going again in the Philippines,” Spoelstra said at the All-Star Media Day on Saturday.

“What a great kid, amazing talent, and he has an incredible future ahead of him,” Spoelstra said of Green.

“I would love to have him involved and you know, as many other players we can get over there and have some fun – Jordan [Clarkson] and even Dwyane [Wade] told me he wants to come over as well… We’ll figure this all out.”

In 2011, Spoelstra went to the Philippines and spearheaded the NBA FIT program by conducting clinics for kids. His mother, Elisa Celino, hails from San Pablo, Laguna in the Philippines.

Green was also glad he bumped into Spoelstra during the midseason spectacle, saying he would love to join an event for Filipinos.

“That was my first time really meeting [Spoelstra]. We just talked about the Philippines a little bit. That would be cool – any chance that we can go back to the Philippines and support that community, I think we should take full advantage of it. We got a lot of fans out there, supporters, and we want to show the love back,” he said.

Both Green and Spoelstra participated in the All-Star festivities. Green competed in the Clorox Rising Stars Challenge and AT&T Slam Dunk Contest. Spoelstra, on the other hand, was the head coach of Team Durant in the All-Star Game.