Filipino American Eric Spoelstra to coach USA basketball men's national team in the Olympics

TEAM USA

Filipino American Eric Spoelstra will be head coach of the US men's basketball team.

Erik Spoelstra has been named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team through 2028.

The appointment makes Spoelstra, head coach of the Miami Heat, the first Asian American to coach the United States' men's basketball team in international competition, culminating in the 2028 Olympics that will be held in Los Angeles.

“It’s an incredible honor to be named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team,” Spoelstra said. “Representing our country and leading world-class athletes to marquee competitions is one of the greatest privileges in sport. I look forward to carrying on the tradition of excellence and teamwork that defines USA Basketball.”

Spoelstra will lead the USA men at the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Doha, Qatar, and at the Olympics Games Los Angeles 2028. Additionally, Spoelstra will coach at training camps and USA Basketball Showcase exhibitions prior to both major competitions.

After graduating from the University of Portland (Oregon) in 1992, for which he played guard on its basketball team, Spoestra planned to try out for the national team of the Philippines, the homeland of his mother,Elisa Celino, who was born in San Pablo City, Laguna.

However,  a paperwork snafu delayed his application and a chance to play for the Philippines. He wound up in Germany playing for two years in Basketball Bundesliga's second division as a player–assistant coach for TuS Herten.

Erik Spoelstra's father, Jon Spoelstra, a former NBA executive and sports marketing expert, used his connections to help his son secure a video coordinating position with the Miami Heat in 1995. And the rest, as it is said, is history.

With the Heat, Eric Spoelstra became a three-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA All-Star Game head coach, and in 2021 he was named on the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History list.

Spoelstra is one of the most widely respected head coaches around the game of basketball,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. “As the longest tenured coach with one team, along with his involvement with USA Basketball the past several years, he is well positioned to lead the USA Men’s National Team at the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.”

Throughout his career, Spoelstra made several trips to the Philippines where he is considered a national hero. for his efforts in staging numerous basketball clinic throughout the country.

“I have a great deal of pride in my heritage and I’m close with my family over here,” Spoelstra told the Associated Press. “When I first started coming over, I just wanted to give back and do as much as I could, in terms of clinics and continue to grow the game and just be involved in the movement. That’s what I call it. Basketball really is like a religion in the Philippines.”

As the rest of the world's players got better and better, the challenge grew for the US, the perennial favorite. “It's the greatest game out there, it's where it should be and you have to embrace that,” Spoelstra said. “And USA Basketball has. We have our expectations to win. The competition has gotten better and that should be embraced. It's what makes you feel alive as a competitor.” 

As assistant coach for the 2020 US Ilympic team under head coach Steve Kerr, he got a taste of international competition and was immediately hooked.

The moments that he remembers was in Paris competing against Serbia and France, both teams heavy with NBA players. The US team, laden with superstars, had to play their best basketball to beat the other countries' teams.

These were moments Spoelstra had only ever seen from afar. Through teary eyes, he had always felt goosebumps prickle across his skin as American athletes stood atop the world. Now, the goosebumps were felt for him, for the team he had helped at this moment.

“You never really can picture what it would feel like when you're involved in it,” Spoelstra said. “And it was a surreal experience. It's an experience I'll never forget for the rest of my life. It was like time froze when you saw the flag going up and the national anthem being played and understanding that you accomplished what you set out to accomplish. It was just a remarkable life experience.”

So when he was approached about leading the USA team, he didn't hesitate, saying,  "I'm in."

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Filipino American coach brings Miami Heat to NBA finals

Miami Heat head coach Eric Spoelsra heading to NBA finals.

Eric Spoelstra, the first and only Asian American manager of a major sports franchise, will be returning to the National Basketball League finals after a 7-year absence.

The 50-year old Filipino American head coach last led the Miami Heat to two consecutive NBA championships in 2012 and 2013.

He returns to the finals after his current team beat the Boston Celtics Sunday evening, 125-113, four games to two, at the NBA's coronavirus-free bubble in Orlando, Florida. The Heat will play and the Los Angeles Lakers will begin the championship sseries Wednesday with the Heat playing the role of underdog.

When the Spolestra-led Heat won the two championships, the team had the NBA's first super-team with three sure Hall of Fame players on its roster: Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosch.

This time, James will be on the opposing team along with another superstar, 6 foot, 10-inch power forward Anthony Davis.

Spoelestra's team was ranked 5th in the playoff charts and had to upset the No. 1 team, the Milwaukee Bucks. to reach the finals. With a collection of merging players led by star Jimmy Butler, the Heat are decided underdogs in the David vs. Goliath matchup.

When the NBA began staging Filipino Heritage Month several years ago, Spoelstra, whose mother is from the Philippines, was thrilled. “At first, I thought it was just going to be with us. and then I found out Golden State was involved and then I found out it was going to be honored around the NBA, I had goosebumps thinking about it,” Spoelstra said.

“Obviously, my heritage is really important to me and my family and I’m proud to be Filipino. But when it’s recognized in the NBA it’s such a special thing.”