HALL of Famer Pat Riley has anointed an unknown for his successor as coach of the Miami Heat.
Unknown to many too, Riley’s heir has Filipino blood.
On Monday, young Erik Spoelstra became the new Heat coach after Riley stepped down from his post following one of the worst seasons in NBA franchise history.
Once the Heat’s video coordinator and advance scout who rose from the ranks and became an assistant in Riley’s coaching staff, Spoelstra, 37, has a Filipina for a mother, Fe Celino, who hails from San Pablo, Laguna.
Although born in Portland, Spoelstra traveled to the Philippines once when he was three years old.
A product of University of Portland, Spoelstra has been with the Heat for 13 years now, a stint that saw him win an NBA championship in 2006 when Miami rallied back from 0-2 down to beat the Dallas Mavericks.
“He’s a man that was born to coach,” said Riley when he presented the first ever NBA coach with Filipino blood to the media in Miami yesterday.
Red Bull mentor Yeng Guiao, former president of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP), sees the appointment of Spoelstra not only good for local coaches but to Filipino basketball fans in general.
“Of course, that’s good news. Di ko yun kilala, pero if he’s Filipino, that’s good for all Filipino basketball fans, not just coaches,” he said.
His father, Jon Spoelstra, is an Irish-Dutch who was an NBA executive for the Portland Trailblazers, Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets. His grandfather, Wilson Spoelstra, was a long-time Detroit Tigers beat writer.
As the youngest NBA coach today, Spoelstra has his work cut out for him as he tries to turn around a franchise that finished with the worst record (15-67) in the 2007-08 season, two years removed from its championship stint.
Riley, the Armani-wearing coach inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame recently as the brains behind the exciting and victorious ‘Showtime Lakers’ of the 80s, came aboard Miami in 1995 at a time when Spoelstra was still confined in the Heat video room.
“I’ve worked for a great leader, a Hall of Fame coach and someone who’s been a great mentor to me for 13 years,” Spoelstra said. “It’s been a great relationship.”
Spoelstra was the starting point guard at University of Portland for four years and was named West Coach Conference Freshman of the Year. After college, he spent two years as a player/coach for Tus Herten, a team in the professional sports league of Germany.
Miami superstar Dwayne Wade welcomed his new coach with open arms.
“I believe in Coach Spo and have complete confidence that our team will succeed with him at the helm,” Wade said.
Spoelstra indicated he would like to keep assistants Ron Rothstein, Bob McAdoo and Keith Askins, a one-time PBA import.
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