Alapag shares learnings from young coaching career in Asia League seminar

MACAU—Not a year has passed since Jimmy Alapag became the head coach of Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League, but he’s already being tapped to give aspiring strategists some lessons on the craft.

It’s no surprise that Alapag was chosen as one of the speakers in coaching seminar the Asia League conducted on Friday at Macau East Asian Games during a break in the weeklong Super 8 tournament.

Alapag led Alab to the 2018 ABL title and he went on to share his experience as a mentor to the scores of basketball minds who attended the clinic.

“I’m thankful for the Asia League for bringing me out here, just as I’m finishing my first season as a head coach,” said Alapag who took the Alab job in August of 2017. “I’m just excited to have shared my experiences and my approach even though I’m probably the youngest coach here.”

Alapag joined Brian Goorjian, head coach of 2017 CBA champion Xinjiang, and Thomas Wisman, who was once the chief of one-time B.League champion Tochigi Brex, in the seminar.

There were around 70 coaches, who manage teams from the high school division to the professional level, from Asia who joined the clinic.

And one of the main lessons Alapag taught was leadership.

“Just based off my own personal experience, all the teams that I’ve seen and all the teams that I’ve been a part of always have great leadership, and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s coming from one person, it comes from multiple players in the team.”

Alapag captained the Philippines to a silver medal in the 2013 Fiba Asia Championships and the 2011 PBA MVP was a six-time champion with Talk N’ Text.