USA's Spoelstra set for emotional return to Philippines

MANILA (Philippines) - When the USA players arrive in Manila, they'll be one of the biggest attractions at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

In the words of USA assistant coach Erik Spoelstra, "They’ll be like rock stars there."

Spoelstra should perhaps get ready for the same wave of interest to hit him as well.

That's because no one in the USA team has a stronger connection to the people of the Philippines than Spoelstra, a Filipino-American. While he is American born and raised, his mother, Elisa Celino, is a native of San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines.

"This has been a dream of mine to be a part of the USA Basketball program for so many years and then for the World Cup to be in Manila," he said. "I have great pride in being an American, and I have great pride in my heritage, being Filipino as well.

"I'm just really excited that the entire program will be able to see the enthusiasm, the spirit and fan base for the game in Manila."

“I HAVE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING AN AMERICAN, AND I HAVE GREAT PRIDE IN MY HERITAGE, BEING FILIPINO AS WELL”- Erik Spoelstra

After Gregg Popovich, San Antonio's coach since 1996, Spoelstra has the second-longest tenure with an NBA team among current coaches in the league.

After taking over the Heat in April of 2008, his teams have been consistently among the best in the Eastern Conference. In 2012 and 2013, Spoelstra's Heat captured NBA titles. So Spoelstra will arrive in the Philippines with a pedigree. He's one of the best in the business and will be celebrated by fans in the country as one of their own.

"It's a very surreal experience," he said.

"I think it'll be really cool for everybody to see how passionate the fan base is for basketball in general. I think our group is going to be treated really well.

"Of course, I have family there. I'll try to steer some of the group and the players to try some Filipino cuisine. My uncle Tony makes a great Lumpia so maybe I'll have the guys try that."

For context, Lumpia are various types of spring rolls, made of thin paper-like or crepe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or sweet fillings. They can be served as an appetizer or snack, and are either deep-fried or fresh.

Coach Spoelstra is also going to give back to his mother's country. USA Basketball will host an elite basketball clinic featuring 40 boys and girls from high schools and colleges across Metro Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, Aug. 23. Erik Spoelstra will lead the clinic. Participants will take part in a series of skill development workouts and life skills and leadership development programming.

While fans of Gilas Pilipinas, which is what the Philippines national team is called, will be rooting for their team in Group A against Italy, Angola and the Dominican Republic, they will be just as excited for the USA team that is competing in Group C against Greece, New Zealand and Jordan.

The Americans have won the World Cup five times, including most recently in 2010 and 2014. The only other country to win it five times is the former Yugoslavia.

With the success that the USA have enjoyed over the years and the numerous stars that always turn out for the country, fans are guaranteed great basketball from the Americans. This USA unit is eerily similar to the one in 2010 when a completely new USA team showed up at the World Cup in Turkey and marched to the title.

Kevin Durant was the tournament MVP, and players like Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love were his USA teammates. None of the players on this year's USA team were in the Olympic squad that won the gold medal in Tokyo a couple of years ago. Expectations will nevertheless be very high for the American team.

"The crowds are going to be rocking," Spoelstra said. "They’ve been waiting for this opportunity for all the teams to be there and show their enthusiasm for the game, this beautiful game that we are blessed to be a part of. But It's going to be nuts. I can't wait for our team to see it."

The interest in the sport in the Philippines is a further testament to how popular the game is around the world. Numerous countries outside of America have players in the NBA. Foreign players have been among the brightest of NBA stars.

"This has been happening for the past 30 years," Spoelstra said. "It’s truly a global game, now. The world has caught up and that's what makes this more competitive than it's ever been. It's a beautiful thing that the game has expanded to every region on this planet.

"But we still feel that the game belongs to the Americans. But we have to prove it. It's a tough task ahead, we know that, but we're looking forward to the challenge."

Spoelstra is still pinching himself to know that this opportunity to be with the USA is real.

"This is an absolute blessing," he said. "First of all, it's been an absolute honor for all of us to be a part of the USA Basketball program. It's been a dream for so many of us. And the coaching staff in particular with Steve and Ty and Mark Few, it's an amazing experience.

"I have such deep respect for each of them. I'm so grateful that Steve granted us the opportunity to be a part of the program and take on this world challenge to bring back the gold."

And when it's all said and done, no team has as much pressure to lift the Naismith Trophy as the USA.

It was a tough pill to swallow four years ago in China when France beat the USA in the Quarter-Finals.

"Obviously we'd like to come out of this thing with a gold medal," he said. "But these are lifelong memories. This is a big commitment for all of us, the players, the staff, everyone involved with USA Basketball behind the scenes.

"It's a six-week commitment but really, it's longer than that, all the prep time before, but really what you are doing is creating shared memories that hopefully last a lifetime. It's something unique and different to the NBA game that we are so accustomed to.

"But it's been a dream for so many of us for a long time to be a part of this and to be able to compete at the highest level on the world stage."

FIBA