A Filipino in the NBA? Why Not?

A POSITIVELY FILIPINO EXCLUSIVE

Erik Spoelstra, the Filipino American coach of the current NBA champion, the Miami Heat, talks about his pride in his Filipino heritage and how his annual return to his mother's homeland to do basketball clinics for young people is the "highlight of my summer."

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“It’s humbling... and eye-opening... I want to continue going [to the Philippines].”

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In an exclusive interview with veteran broadcaster Lloyd LaCuesta for Positively Filipino on January 16 in San Francisco, the winning coach, whose team continues to dominate the NBA, reveals his impressions of the Philippines and his hope that someday a Filipino will make it to the big leagues in basketball.

"We can never say never," he tells LaCuesta. "The passion is there and the youth programs are getting better. Maybe it will be a Fil-Am first, to break through."

Lloyd LaCuesta

Lloyd LaCuesta was the South Bay Bureau Chief of KTVU/Fox Channel 2 in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 35 years. He retired last June 2012 and is currently an adjunct professor at San Jose State University. LaCuesta visited Badoc, Ilocos Norte in 2010 to see the village where his father grew up and to connect with relatives, only to find out that these relatives were living in San Jose, California!