Palace hails Fil-Am Spoelstra's NBA feat

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang extended its congratulations yesterday to Erik Spoelstra, the Fil-Am head coach who steered the LeBron James-led Miami Heat to the NBA championship over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Five of the NBA Finals in Miami last Friday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte conveyed the message over Radyo ng Bayan, saying that while the government did not want to pick a side over the competing teams, they would like to give a congratulatory shoutout to the Fil-Am basketball coach.

“Congratulations to coach Erik Spoelstra. We did not want to… as I mentioned earlier, we do not take sides but special mention and a very big congratulations to coach Erik Spoelstra,” Valte said.

Valte also welcomed Spoelstra’s reported statement that he would bring the NBA trophy to the Philippines.

“That would be good. Coach Spo has a lot of fans here in the Philippines (who) would like to also convey their congratulations. And I’m sure a lot of fans will be excited,” she said.

With the Heat’s victory, the 41-year-old Spoelstra becomes the first Asian-American head coach to win an NBA championship. He is often regarded by fans as the “Heart of the Heat” and is well-respected among the team’s staff and players.

A proud Filipino, Spoelstra has been visiting the Philippines during NBA’s off-season to promote a healthy and active lifestyle among youths through basketball clinics via the NBA FIT program. He was welcomed by President Aquino last year when he paid a courtesy call in Malacañang.

Spoelstra is the son of Elisa Celino, a Filipina from San Pablo, Laguna, and Jon Spoelstra, an American of Dutch and Irish descent who was an NBA executive for the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets.