MANILA, Philippines - So this is how D-Wade and the Miami Heat do it.
For over an hour, select Filipino players got a taste of the training regimen that NBA superstar Dwyane Wade and his teammates in Florida undergo nearly everyday under their Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra.
“It’s a real pleasure to train under the coach of Dwyane Wade; we’re really inspired have him train us,” said Joan Grajales, team captain of the RP women’s team that participated in Spoelstra’s NBA FIT Development Camp at the Araneta Coliseum yesterday.
“We learned a lot of things that we can apply in our games, especially the importance of communication inside the court and developing our skills,” added Grajales.
Spoelstra, together with his Heat assistant Dave Fizdale, Jama Mahlalela of NBA-Asia basketball operations and Ateneo coach Norman Black, subjected some 30 female and male cagers to Heat-style drills on passing and catching, 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 fastbreak defense and various layup and post-up moves, emphasizing the importance of on-court communications and the ability to jump off on both feet and shoot on both hands.
Aside from the RP ladies squad, some of the country’s collegiate stars also took part, among them Ateneo’s Kirk Long and Nico Salva, and Adamson’s Alex Nuyles. Enthusiastically watching from the sidelines were Ginebra’s think tank, Jong Uichico, Art dela Cruz and Allan Caidic, and Talk ‘N Text assistant Aboy Castro.
“They’re so eager to learn,” Spoelstra said of his pupils. “It’s great to get on the court and teach fundamentals, a lot of stuff that we do with the Miami Heat.Which reminds me, our own training camp is 48 days away, it’s just right around the corner.”
Coach Spo to his fans, the Fil-Am mentor who traces his roots to Laguna underscored the value of talking and coordinating inside the court.
“Communication is critical; it’s something you have to work on everyday with young players because it doesn’t come natural. We always have to demand our players to communicate. It’s a game that requires it. If you don’t, you’ll see yourself at a lower level of play,” said the Heat tactician, who is holding a clinic in his mother’s hometown in San Pablo today.
Fizdale concurred: “Right now, they’re shy about correcting each other, and they should be willing to do that and be able to accept criticisms from teammates and coaches. That’s the only thing I see that’s a barrier for them. Once they get comfortable with communicating to each other, they’ll be a very, very good team.”
The camp is part of the nine-day NBA FIT Week, the league’s comprehensive health and wellness program under the NBA Cares umbrella.