MANILA, Philippines—For a week at least, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra gets his mind off the pressure that comes with mentoring this NBA season’s most celebrated triumvirate of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.
Spoelstra, the first Filipino-American to coach any professional sports league in America, arrived in Manila Thursday night to focus on his other passions before plunging into a season full of high expectations.
“The game of basketball has been good to me that I want to give back any way I can,” Spoelstra said in a press conference Friday at the Marriott Hotel in Newport City, Pasay.
“My other passion is my heritage and my family. I’m able to reconnect to so many family members here. To be able to do all those things in one week really makes it a very special time.”
Spoelstra, whose mother Elisa Celino traces her roots to San Pablo, Laguna, will be in the country for a week to spearhead the first NBA Fit Week, the largest wellness program held by the league in the Asia Pacific.
“We’re here this week to promote the message that we need to lead a more healthy and balanced lifestyle,” said Edward Winkle, senior director of NBA Asia’s business development and marketing partnerships.
The 39-year-old Spoelstra will conduct basketball clinics and interact with fans in activities at SM North Edsa this weekend. He will hold training sessions with players of Far Eastern U and La Salle on Tuesday, attend a program at the Araneta Coliseum on Wed-nesday and give a special clinic in San Pablo.
“My heritage is very important to me,” said Spoelstra. “And I want that story to be told because it will open doors to a lot of people, that if they have a dream, they can accomplish it, no matter where they come from.”
But for this season, Spoelstra hopes to fulfill his NBA championship dream with his superstars, dubbed as “The Three Kings.”
“I know how a big responsibility it is and I take it very seriously,” he said.
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