MANILA, Philippines ? Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has bared the highlights of his Manila visit so far, including witnessing the Filipinos? immense love for basketball and meeting 7-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
In his blog posted on NBA.com, the Filipino-American coach said that the past few days he has spent in his mother?s home country have been ?very moving.?
?This past week began a very special time for me, as I was able to combine important passions of my life which are family, basketball, and heritage,? he said.
He then revealed that he met Pacquiao, the congressman of Sarangani Province, last Saturday.
?I had the opportunity to meet Filipino Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao,? Spoelstra wrote. ?It was an honor to finally meet him in person.?
The Heat coach also mentioned that he considers as memorable the basketball clinics he conducted for children in orphanages.
?Today was a day that I will remember for the rest of my life and I hope to keep in touch with many of the children and will see them again in the future,? he said of his Monday experience.
He went on to comment about the basketball craze in the Philippines: ?It was a great thrill to once again see how popular and global the game of basketball is in this country.?
He said this after watching the UAAP game between the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles and University of the East Red Warriors and the PBA Finals Game 2 between the Alaska Aces and San Miguel Beermen on Sunday.
Spoelstra is taking part in the first-ever NBA FIT Week in the Philippines which, he said, is the largest NBA FIT program ever held in Southeast Asia.
The program aims to educate individuals and families on the physical, mental and emotional benefits of healthy living.
The Fil-Am coach added that before going to Manila, he served as an honorary head coach in a Miami event which was hosted with the Filipino Basketball Association (FBA) of South Florida. The FBA of South Florida, in turn, made a donation to the Miami Heat Charitable Fund. ? With a report from NBA.com
