1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: God gifted me with. If he gifted me with anything, 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: it was a great sense of humor and a jumper. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Raymond Townsend. A lot of basketball fans might not know 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: that name, but for the Filipino American community and Filipino's 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: back home, he's a legend up there with Bill Russell, 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, all the pioneers and icons who 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: gave the NBA a foundation to grow into the global 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: league it is today. Raymond Townsend, a six three guard 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: from San Jose, California, is the first Filipino player in 10 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: NBA history before Jalen Green came along and became the 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: first Filipino lottery pick in NBA history. Rip the second 12 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: pick in the two twenty one NBA Draft, the Houston 13 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: Rockets select Jalen Green and Jordan Clarkson became the first 14 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: Filipino player to win the NBA's six Man of the 15 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: Year award. Clarks had doubled with two, now triple. Clarks 16 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: had asked to hoist it. They're gonna call a foul 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: and count the basket. Raymond Townsend carried the torch Filipinos 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: all over the world who grew up dreaming of playing 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: basketball at the highest level, looked up to him, and 20 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: that's what this episode is all about, the NBA dream. 21 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: We're going to be talking with the Filipino Trailblazers who 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: were the first players and coaches to break into the NBA, 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: as well as telling the story of an all time 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: great from the PBA who almost became the first player 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: born and raised in the Philippines to make it to 26 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: the league. Welcome to episode five of Hoops Paradise. The 27 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: Philippines love of the game basketball were all right, Nico, 28 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: can we compare notes real quick on the Filipino American 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: experience here in the States versus the experience in the Philippines. Basically, 30 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: I'm wondering if, for as long as you can remember, 31 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: everyone in your extended family has been able to name 32 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: seemingly every Filipino celebrity in Hollywood and professional sports. Are 33 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: you kidding? Of course, we know all the Pinois who 34 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,399 Speaker 1: even made the slightest impact on US pop culture. One 35 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: because for a long time, there weren't a lot of them, right, 36 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: And two because it's almost like an unspoken requirement of 37 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: Philippine citizenship. But we identify any public figure anywhere in 38 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: the world with even the slightest, smallest Filipino roots and 39 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: then claim them as some sort of honorary national hero, 40 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: exactly like the average American moviegoers saw eighties classics like 41 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: La Bamba or Stand in Deliver and thought Lou Diamond 42 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: Phillips was Mexican American, but not us because there was 43 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: always a cousin or Auntie Ordita or Lola nearby to 44 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: interrupt the movie and say, you know he's Filipino. You 45 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: know ye Yan yan yan, and you know yan Blue 46 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: Diamond Phillips. Tia Carere, who inspired about a billion crushes 47 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: with her roles in Wayne's World one and two classics. 48 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: By the way, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, we 49 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: really caught a break with her being the star of 50 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: the group Star. And then there's Apple d App of 51 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: the Black Eyed Peas the group let him record one 52 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: song in Tagalog aka Cassidy Hubbert's favorite song of all 53 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: time time. BeBot is a showstopper at every Filipino wedding 54 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: in the States, or at least all the ones I've 55 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: been at. I think, Cassidy, we are about a year 56 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: away from having the pull for that song to be 57 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: played anytime you walk onto any NBA arena. As soon 58 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: as you walk in, they just have to blast bebbot. 59 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: I mean we already. No, it doesn't even need to play. 60 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: I say it to any Filipino I see, I just 61 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: start singing it like a crazy person and look, like 62 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: I said, not just at weddings. It is a staple, 63 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: not just in my house, but in NBA arenas, especially 64 00:03:53,600 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: when franchises hold Filipino American heritage. Nice. That's jail And 65 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: Green guard for the Houston Rockets at Filipino Heritage Night, 66 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: talking about the support he gets from Filipino fans. Filipino 67 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,679 Speaker 1: fans have been rooting for jail And Green's basketball career 68 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: since he was a sophomore in high school. Yes, high school. 69 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: Who's your guys favorite player in the NBA. Uh, he's 70 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 1: your favorite player in the NBA. Uh it's Green. Of course, 71 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: it's Green from Houston Rockets. Since Green is one of 72 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: the best players in the Philippines. It's really uh. What 73 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: called this a pride for us to represent Philippines in 74 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: the big league like the NBA and the Utah Jazz Is. 75 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: Jordan Clarkson echoed that same sentiment at the twenty twenty 76 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: three NBA All Star Weekend talking about the support he 77 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 1: gets from Filipino fans and how proud he is to 78 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: be Filipino. I really always appreciate and a lot of 79 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: support Philippines have gave me since I've been in the league, 80 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: and you know, since I men on my hoop journey 81 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: and I'm proud wear it every day. I got my 82 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: grandma chattering on my heart. She Filipino. You know how 83 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 1: we do, man, Filipino blood. Till the end, we're throwing 84 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: the sandals off and we barefoot. We get straight to 85 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: the hoop and the Philippines. Man. By the way, I 86 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: know you know this, but we also claim Vanessa Hutchins, 87 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: the former MTV VJ Vanessa Manilo, who's yes, married to 88 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,799 Speaker 1: that you know boy band guy from ninety eight degrees. 89 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: And for a while everyone was convinced that Rachel Bilson, 90 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: the actress who started in the OC, was half Filipino. 91 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: But kind of turns out she's not. No, I don't know. 92 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: I'm still investigating that one. Still want that one to 93 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: be true. Right. We also all know that nineties Saturday 94 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: Night Live funny man Rob Schneider is half Foy. Of course, 95 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: it is like they taught it in Sunday school or something. 96 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: Everybody knows, yet none of us are quite sure how 97 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: or why. The same goal as for former pro wrestler 98 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: turned Marvel avenger Dave Batista. Right. And even though these 99 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,919 Speaker 1: examples are probably dead giveaways that we're a couple aging 100 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: nineties kids, we can't forget the younger generation of Filipino 101 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: American entertainers and artists like Sweetie and the Grammy Award 102 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: winning R and B singer Her who just played Belle 103 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: in Disney's thirtieth anniversary special remake of Beauty and the Beast. Anyway, 104 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: to get back to the point here, I'm wondering what 105 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: has happened when the Philippine appetite for representation has collided 106 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: with our passion for NBA basketball over the years. The 107 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 1: first was real, by the way, your shot at our 108 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: collective ages felt that one a little bit. But also 109 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: me and Cassidy people are the first to tell you 110 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 1: Olivia Rodrigo, Yeah, our girl, Olivia, Yeah, got that got. 111 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: She may be a gen zer and we may be 112 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: some cheriatric millennials, but we wrap her hard. Yeah. Absolutely, 113 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: now before Jordan Clarkson debuted with the Lakers of all 114 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: teams in twenty fourteen, Jeremy kicks at the Clarkson timeout. 115 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: See what I mean about Clarkson. I jail right away 116 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: that this is a guy that understands the game and 117 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: he's not afraid and gave Filipinos all around the world 118 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: one of our own to root for for the first 119 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: time since Raymond Tausend retired in nineteen eighty two. We 120 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: were on the hunt for any connections to the league 121 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: we could find. When stars like Jon Rondo and Wayne 122 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: Wade slash of the basket and scored using footwork and 123 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: touch and deception ways that reminded us of the PBA, 124 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: we treated it almost like a moral victory and joke 125 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: that Rondo and d Wade must be bussom PINOI or 126 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: Filipino at heart. When Nate Robinson's mom mentioned to a 127 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: reporter that her grandfather had been Filipino, it sparked a 128 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: rumor that the five foot nine, two times slamdown chap 129 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: who would go off for forty on any given night, 130 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: was one eighth Filipino. By the way, more than enough 131 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: in mind yea, we claimed claim yeah, even though as 132 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: far as I'm aware, no one ever did the legwork 133 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: to truly confirm Nate Spinoy roots by following up with 134 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: his mom, learning her grandfather's name, and tracking down his 135 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: birth certificate or relatives in the Philippines. And you know, 136 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 1: to be honest, why bother a short guy who could 137 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: score in bunches, played with a ton of emotion, and 138 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: had crazy hops. There's a version of that player in 139 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: every barangay in the Philippines and in every Filipino neighborhood 140 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: in the States. We even have a beloved newspaper reporter 141 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: and PBA TV analysts who calls himself the Dean mister KENNETHA. Henson, 142 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: who's made a cottage industry out of reporting on any 143 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: connection between Filipinos and the NBA that you can possibly imagine. 144 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: Shout out to Dan I loved him, Atita from Zimbalist Province, 145 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: who migrated to New England and found a job in 146 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: the accounting department of the Boston Celtics. The Filipino American 147 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: photographer who Jordan Pool trusts to snap action shots at 148 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: games so the Warriors guard can post them to social 149 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: media after the final Buzzer, the tailor on Passy Road 150 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: in Makati City, or Dell Demps, the former San Antonio 151 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,079 Speaker 1: Spurs front office figure who also played as an important 152 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: the PBA for teams like seven up Encola's would order 153 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: custom made suits for himself and Spurs guard Bruce Bowen 154 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: to where it to NBA games. We'd read about these 155 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: tiny connections between our world and the NBA in the 156 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: Dean's columns, and no matter how trivial they might have 157 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: seemed from an outsider's perspective, they resonated with Filipino readers 158 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: of what basketball means, saw us and with the NBA 159 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 1: represents for all basketball fans all over the world. Anyway 160 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: that we could trace a line from our hoops, met Archipela, 161 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: go back to the league where Robertson, Larry Bird, Magic, Michael, 162 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: and Lebron played. Because all the validation we needed preach Nico. 163 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: I mean, we out here. You may have to search 164 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: a little bit, but we out here. And if that 165 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: doesn't set up our conversation with Raymond Townsend, I don't 166 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: know what will. But the incredible thing about his story 167 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: as the first Filipino player in NBA history is that 168 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: he came along at a time when Filipino American identity 169 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: wasn't as widely understood as it is today. I could 170 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: stand on the mountaintop and tell you I was Filipino, 171 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: but you have to understand at that time, there were 172 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: no Filipino basketball players. Even though Raymond's mom served Lupia 173 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: and ponsitt to legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. When the 174 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: Wizard of Westwood visited the Townsend family home in San 175 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: Jose to recruit Raymond out of high school, barely anyone 176 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: outside of their immediate family thought of Raymond as Filipino. 177 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: It was the seventies and Raymond was by Rachel Waras 178 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: Haren and Afro, and most Americans just saw him as black. 179 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: Raymond had a basketball career that wouldn't make anyone proud. 180 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,839 Speaker 1: He won an NCAA championship playing for John Wooden at 181 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: UCLA and got selected by the Golden State Warriors with 182 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: the final pick in the first round of the nineteen 183 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: seventy eight NBA draft. He played three seasons in the 184 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: NBA with the Warriors and then the Indiana Pacers, averaging 185 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: about five points per game as a backup point guard, 186 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: and then he went on to play three more seasons 187 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: of pro ball in Italy. But it wasn't until long 188 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: after that that the NBA's first Filipino was truly recognized 189 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: for his contributions to the game. I was really fortunate 190 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: with being recruited. You have to understand, I was averaging 191 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: twenty nine points a game without a three pointer. God 192 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: gifted me. If he gifted me with anything, it was 193 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: a great sense of humor and a jumper. And I 194 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: loved for my family, and my journey started real early 195 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: because we had five kids in one room, eight hundred 196 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: square foot home. A Raymond's family didn't have the money 197 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: to pay for week long basketball camps, so he worked 198 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: as a cook at basketball clinics and camps just so 199 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: he could attend. I was serving on breakfast. I was 200 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,079 Speaker 1: cleaning up after him. I was pretty humble cockey, but 201 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: when they asked me for kool aid or whatever, meant 202 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 1: I was filling up their cups or refills or going 203 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: to do this. And then I wasn't able to participate 204 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: in the camp until after I washed the dishes and 205 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: did that. And I didn't do that three meals a 206 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: day because I couldn't afford the fees to go to 207 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: these one week camps, but by the third day there 208 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 1: were guys. Coach Wooden I was at Maryland at that time, 209 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: Marquette al McGuire. Maryland was big duke. Everybody was there 210 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: by the third day because this was the place to 211 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: be in California for the players. They found out that 212 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: the cook was a pretty good players a sophomore, so 213 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 1: for about two or three years played in the best 214 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: league in northern California, Archbishop Mity High School. I was 215 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: working out with Santa Clair University Sandsey State varsity players 216 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: as a sophomore in high school, I didn't want to 217 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: be a good player. I used to tell everybody there's 218 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: millions of good players. I wanted to be great, And 219 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: because I was humble, I appreciated everything my mom and 220 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: dad opened up for me, which never gave me a 221 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: sense of entitlement. You know. I had to serve people 222 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: as the way I had to get a hit. Once 223 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: I was on the radar, it was kind of a 224 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: done deal and it it just snowbold after that. And 225 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: it's kind of funny, even though it was one hundred 226 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 1: and twenty five UCLA wasn't one of those picks yet. 227 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 1: It was everybody but UCLA. And UCLA came in about 228 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: the last two weeks. We had a game in a gym. 229 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: It was filled up two thousand capacity. There were fifteen 230 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: hundred people outside with speakers. It was just an unreal 231 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: environment for back in the mid seventies. I ended up 232 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: having like thirty eight. I had a triple double and 233 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: just turned it out and UCLA happened to be there, 234 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: so and what ended up happening is obviously Coach Wooden 235 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: came to my house a week later and Mom and 236 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: Dad they were you know, we had Filipino, we had 237 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: pounds it, we had chicken adobo, we had yeah, we 238 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: had everything for Coach Wooden. We all had our assigned 239 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: seats were my brother and my three sisters. I'm the eldest. 240 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: And the minute Coach walked in, he really could have 241 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: just given me a paper and just said, you know 242 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: what we want you to sign, and I would have 243 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: signed immediately, but instead he checked out my integrity. His 244 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: first words were, you know, Raymond, we respect your ability. 245 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: We run a program of honesty and integrity, you know, 246 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: And you don't hear people talk like this. He goes, 247 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: we run a program of honesty and integrity, and I 248 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: want to be honest with you. Even though we've won 249 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: nine championships in eleven years, you're not my number one pick? 250 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: Are you okay with that? And he being the cocky 251 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: high school kid, I like, coach, no disrespect, but who's 252 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: your number one pick? He goes, well, you're averaging twenty 253 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: nine points a game without you know, we had no. Three, 254 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: but there's a guy in LA that we want, but 255 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: we figure he's averaging thirty nine a game, so if 256 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: we can get you and him. He goes, at sixty 257 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: eight points, we think you could be one of the 258 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: top UCLA backcourts in the history of our school. And 259 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: I said, okay, what's his name? And he told me 260 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: his name and I said okay. And then he said 261 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: something interesting. He said mind you. He goes, you're okay 262 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: with not being my number one? I said yes, Sir, 263 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: I said I will be eventually. And he said, but 264 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: mind you, I'm going to recruit fourteen other All Americans 265 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: every year, So are you okay with that? I said, yeah, Coach, 266 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: bring them on. I also need to hear a deep 267 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: dive on John Wooden's Filipino dinner at the Townsend Household, Like, 268 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: what kind of what's it? The Raymond's mom cock, Because 269 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: there's a world of difference between the goat and hard, 270 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: which is pretty much garbage. I mean, where did she 271 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: even get the ingredients? There wasn't no seafood City back then. 272 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: What else was on the menu? Like what did the 273 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: Wizard of Westwood like the most? I mean, duh, it's 274 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: gotta be lumpia. It's always lumpia, all right, let's just 275 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: find out. You know, it's funny. See, he wasn't really 276 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: exposed to it because there were no other Filipinos ever 277 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: came through, and Coach wood was so humble. He stayed 278 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: in this little two bedroom condo out in Encino, and 279 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: you know, Filipino restaurants weren't big in La that then. 280 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: So yeah, he loved it. He loved the lumpia, he 281 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: liked the ponds. It he didn't like I shouldn't say this, 282 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: God rest his soul. He'll turnover and his great if 283 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: I tell you he didn't like the dinner go on 284 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: chocolate meat. You know, he wasn't tough, kind of shy 285 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: away from the dinner go on, but he loved everything 286 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: else and Turan, I'm gonna let he was all over 287 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: my mom's maruya and my mom so everything was home cooked. 288 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: So I stand by it. I don't play a coach 289 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: Buden for shying away from the gun. I mean, that 290 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: is a tall, tall task. It's it's a it's a 291 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: tall order. But Tron, it's a top five dessert. Fight me. Yeah, 292 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: it's a top five dessert anywhere in the world. Were 293 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: other people outside your family starting to recognize celebrate your 294 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: being Filipino American in the NBA? And if it wasn't, 295 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: then when do you think that started? That recognition of 296 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: your of your roots as a Filipino American. It never 297 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: existed back and that day in the mid seventies. And 298 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: if you think about first of all, there was a 299 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: lot of subtle racism back then. It was only black 300 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: or white. Nobody cared about Asians, mexicans'n care because the 301 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: whole league was either black or white. And to be 302 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: honest with you, prenominantly black and me running around with 303 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: the big Afro help. I told everybody I was Filipino, 304 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: and nobody believed me because all of our all Americans 305 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: at Uclay were black, and we had black in our family. 306 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: We have a lot of Filipino family members that married 307 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: into black families, so we have a black constituency, probably 308 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: have sixty seventy black Filipinos. So nobody really knew. And 309 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:24,400 Speaker 1: I could tell you till I'm blue in the face, 310 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 1: no I'm Filipino. But Sports Illustrated, it's a good example, 311 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: came out with an article we were on the front 312 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: page and says the Golden State Warriors, one of the 313 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: new teams in the New Movement, have a head coach, 314 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: two assistants, and they were all black. They showed the 315 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: whole bench and they said eleven black players and one 316 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 1: white player. And the white player I knew wasn't me. 317 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: It was Tom abertin Atty from Indiana. He was sitting 318 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: at the end of the bench and I was in 319 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:53,959 Speaker 1: the midst of the middle. And I even told him, 320 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: I said, no, no, we're all black. When one Filipino 321 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: and one you know, white player, and they're gonna, no, 322 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: you're black. And so they never ever changed the article. 323 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: So I could stand on the mountaintop and tell you 324 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: I was Filipino. But you have to understand at that time, 325 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: there were no Filipino basketball players, and there were some 326 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:17,439 Speaker 1: great Filipino basketball players, and you know, I say this 327 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: very sincerely, a lot of great Filipino you know, I'm 328 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: talking about Robert Jaworski, you know, Moan Fernandez, some of 329 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: these great great Filipino basketball players. These guys had a 330 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: life of hard work success, they earned their their great reputations. 331 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: And not many Filipinos wanted to come over to the 332 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: United States and try it with an YNVA team, because 333 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: then if you don't make it, now, all of a sudden, 334 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: you're the greatest Filipino or ever played basketball and the 335 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: Philippines but got cut by so and so back in, 336 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: nobody wanted to risk that. I still feel, and I 337 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: speak this very strong, I still feel there'll be a 338 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: Filipino born athlete. But I really think they need to 339 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: come over to America, play to Kansas, a DUCA, Kentucky, 340 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: and there's players out there that can do these things, 341 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: but they've got to like step out and get into 342 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: something that's risky, but be on TV every day. And 343 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: you know, gratefully, thirty eight years later, I carried that 344 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: torch for thirty eight years, and now you know, we 345 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 1: got Jordan and Jaylen, but still everybody's waiting for the 346 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: first Filipino born Filipino to make the NBA, and I 347 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: think we're knocking on that door. We'll get back to 348 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: that MBA dream in episode six, but this episode is 349 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: about right here, right now, the Filipinos and the Filipino 350 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: Americans who made it to the NBA in one way 351 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: or another. Up next, we're talking to Miami Heat coach 352 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: Eric's Folstruck. Let me ask you something, Nico, do you 353 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: think that maybe we meaning the NBA's devoted Filipino fan 354 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: base take erik'sposture for granted, that's a little too strong 355 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: for what I mean. I guess do you think we 356 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: should celebrate spoke the first Filipino American head coach at 357 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: NBA history, who has led the Miami Heat to five 358 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: NBA Finals appearances and two championships, even more than we 359 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,159 Speaker 1: already do. I mean, we get so wrapped up in 360 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: the ups and downs of Jalen Green and Jordan Clarkson's 361 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: career as Jalen shows flashes of becoming a brilliant scorer 362 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: for the Rockets and Jordan shines in a new role 363 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: as a starter for the surprising Jazz this season, and 364 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: then we always are looking out for who's next the 365 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: next Filipino American prospect with MBA size and potential, or 366 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: who has the best chance to become the first NBA 367 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: player born and raised in the Philippines. Meanwhile, a guy 368 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: who'd be on the short for the best NBA coaches 369 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: of the last ten years is Filipino. Gives Spo his flowers, 370 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 1: Now give him your nickname, Filipino Jackson. You are preaching 371 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: to the choir, sister. I am as much of a 372 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: defender of how we should just throw love at Filipino 373 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: Jackson every single day. But at the same time I 374 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: understand how that can happen with coach Spo for starters, 375 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: he's just naturally so low key, and he and pat 376 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: Riley run such a tight ship in Miami that some 377 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: years it feels like the entire regular season passes with 378 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: fans clinging to every trade rumor every scoop about tension 379 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: between two star players on this or that team, and 380 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: the occasional wild story where a bowl of chicken tortilla 381 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: soup gets hurled across the locker room and the heat 382 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: are never in fall. Then the playoffs roll around, and 383 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, they're Spo and Jimmy Butler and 384 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: bam Adebayo and the rest of the Heat back in 385 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 1: the mix with a chance to go to the finals. 386 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: For a town as wild and glamorous as Miami, the 387 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: Heat are strictly business. And you know, future Hall of 388 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: Famer Eric Spoelstra likes it that way. And also we 389 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: say it all the time. The NBA is a players league, 390 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: and it should be. Of course, every team needs a 391 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: great coaching staff to be successful and a front office 392 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 1: to support them and all the rest of the people 393 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: up and down the franchise who enable the players to 394 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: perform at their best. But when winning time rolls around, 395 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,880 Speaker 1: it's the players out there on the floor. So yes, 396 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: one of the very best coaches in the league is Filipino. 397 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: But there will always be more interest in the players. 398 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: That's just the nature of things. I guess. When we 399 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: were growing up and learning to play and love the game, 400 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: we dreamed of making game winning buzzer beaters and dunking 401 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: on fast breaks, not orchestrating the action from the sideline. 402 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: And I'd bet anything Spo wouldn't want things any other 403 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: way he was a player first too, Nico, You're just 404 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: reminded me of an incredible Philippine basketball What if? Do 405 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,959 Speaker 1: you remember how Spo said he almost moved to Manila 406 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: after finishing his college career at the University of Portland. 407 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: How good would Spo have been if he came to 408 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 1: the PBA in nineteen ninety three, Oh, with his resume, 409 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: Spoke would have been a transformational player in the PBA. 410 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: He was a four year starter at the Division one 411 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 1: level six foot three point guard. That's huge for the PBA. 412 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: Six foot three point guard who still number four on 413 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: the Portland Pilot's all time assist list. He would have 414 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: been one of the biggest playmakers in the league and 415 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: could have guarded any position except center. It might have 416 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: taken Spo some time to adjust to the rough and 417 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: tumble style of nineties PBA basketball and also to figure 418 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: out the right balance of scoring and playmaking for the league, 419 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,439 Speaker 1: because the PBA team would absolutely expect the guy with 420 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: the one pettigree to just put up scoring numbers. Those 421 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: hard nosed coaches would be ready to strangle Spo if 422 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: he just went out there trying to play like a 423 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,640 Speaker 1: glue guy. You really had to be aggressive. But would 424 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 1: spose basketball mind. I'm sure he would have figured it out. 425 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: To me, though, this what if isn't about whether Spo 426 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 1: would have been a PBA All Star or a PBA 427 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer. It's about all the things that might 428 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: never have happened if he had been leading the I 429 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: don't know Sun Miguel Berman to an All Filipino Cup 430 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: title in nineteen ninety five instead of getting his foot 431 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 1: in the door with the Miami Heat organization as a 432 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: video coordinator. Maybe we would have gained a Philippine basketball 433 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 1: legend if Spo had played in the PBA. But at 434 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: the same time, we probably would have lost the first 435 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: Filipino NBA head coach because Spo, the PBA superstar was 436 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: unlikely to get back on track to become Spo the 437 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: leader who would win back to back championships with Lebron James, 438 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh. It hurts my head to think 439 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: about it. The heatles without Spo. I mean, we're talking 440 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: about rewriting an essential chapter in NBA history. Would you 441 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: take that trade off? I mean, who cares what I think? 442 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 1: Let's ask it's a it's a big regret of mine. 443 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: I don't have any regrets other than that. And that 444 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: was always a plan. I mean, since I was a 445 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 1: small kid, my family over there would always send VHS 446 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 1: tapes of the PBA, and so I was familiar with 447 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: the PBA. And you know Billy rate Bates who was 448 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 1: a legend over there. He actually played for the Portland 449 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: Trailblazers and he was kind of a two year legend 450 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: in Portland where they still talk about him while he 451 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 1: finished his career in the Philippines. So I felt a 452 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: connection to Billy rate Bates, but also to the PBA. 453 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: I followed it. I always had him back in my 454 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: mind that I would go play there after college. That 455 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 1: was kind of a bigger goal of mine than to 456 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: try to play in the NBA. And then my course 457 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: shifted and I ended up playing in Germany for a 458 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 1: couple of years, and I thought I would just barnstorm 459 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 1: around Europe for you know, five years, and then finished 460 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: up playing in the PBA. And I remember during the 461 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: off season I met with Jim Kelly, who was now 462 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: a scout and longtime scout in the NBA, and he 463 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: tried to recruit me over there, and I was going 464 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: to sign, and I just pushed it off because I 465 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: wanted to travel the world first. And then I ended 466 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,719 Speaker 1: up getting the opportunity with the heat and so I 467 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: never had that opportunity to go back to the PBA, 468 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: but I was always a fan. And then when I 469 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: had the opportunity my first year going with the NBA 470 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,360 Speaker 1: to do the clinics, that's when I had an opportunity 471 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: to meet Tim Coombe, and I'd already knew who he was. 472 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: He was a legendary coach over there. He's like the 473 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: equivalent to pat Riley and Phil Jackson combined and Pop, 474 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:41,159 Speaker 1: you know, basically all three guys. That's his reputation over there. 475 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: And so I was able to meet with him and 476 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: we struck a friendship that still goes to this day. 477 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: You are a legendary coach in the NBA, one of 478 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: the all time great coaches here in the States, but 479 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: or in the Philippines. You're like Michael Jackson, you know, 480 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan's status, like crowds probably following you. I mean, 481 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:05,919 Speaker 1: if I were to say that, or you were to 482 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 1: mention that in my household, my mother would just roll 483 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,360 Speaker 1: her eyes that. Oh yeah, you're famous. She doesn't want 484 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 1: to hear that or people call me coach SPO. I 485 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: remember we won our first championship, and you know, I've 486 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: been called many worst things, but coach SPO is I 487 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: think the people would call me. And then over there 488 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: they made up T shirts and everything. My family sent 489 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: some to my mom when she was rolling her eyes 490 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: about that. But when we won our first championship, the 491 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 1: celebration here in Miami, and then immediately I flew to Portland, 492 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: Oregon to visit my family. That's where I'm from, and 493 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,479 Speaker 1: we went on vacation, and right as I walked into 494 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: the place where we were staying, my mom had a 495 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: place on the floor with a nice sign with all 496 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: the T shirts that said Coach SPO's spot. And that's 497 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: where I had to stay, is on the floor for 498 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: the whole vacation. So she doesn't want to hear about that, 499 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: Like if people think I'm famous over there, you know, 500 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: she would prefer that I stay under the radar and 501 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: everything we asked Coach Spolstra. Now, out of respect for 502 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: his mother, I will resist calling him coach SPO about 503 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: the craziest experience he had while visiting the Philippines. Yeah, 504 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: we had some wild experiences. I remember one time, you know, 505 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: we were doing clinics all over Manila and outside of Manila, 506 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,479 Speaker 1: and we just basically made an agreement that hey, we're 507 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: gonna be here for ten days or two weeks. We 508 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: want to do as much as we possibly can to 509 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: give back, and so if that meant we got to 510 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: wake up at six thirty, hit the first bus to 511 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: get you know, it would take us two hours to 512 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: get anywhere, even if it was only ten miles away, 513 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: and we would try to stack maybe three, four five 514 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: clinics in a day. We'd finish up after dinner, but 515 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: a lot of times they were usually like two or 516 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: three hundred kids. Yeah, that's it, God, sure, God Yes. 517 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: And then we went outside of Manila and we showed 518 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: up one place and there must have been eight to 519 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: ten thousand people there, and probably there's thousands of kids. 520 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: So we pull up in the bus or rocking our 521 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: bus and everything, and the coaching staff and the NBA 522 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: staff we get off the bus and there's no way 523 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: security could stop them. So somehow we tried to carve 524 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: out a court and do a clinic with the kids, 525 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: and then as soon as we were done with the clinic, 526 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: they just swarmed us and they just wanted pictures, selfies 527 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 1: and autographs from everybody on the staff and my staff 528 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: and the NBA staff. And it got to the point 529 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: where Fizz and my other assistant, Chad camer were signing 530 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: kids foreheads. They didn't even have pieces of paper, there 531 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: was nothing to sign, so we had penns and sharpies. 532 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: They're just signing kids heads. But it was a blast. 533 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 1: We have some really cool pictures. In the middle. It's 534 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: like try to find Waldo, myself or anybody on our 535 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: staff and a sea of thousands of people. But that's 536 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 1: why I wanted to invite, you know, staff members to 537 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: come over and really experience it that it is more 538 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: than a sport. It's like a religion over there. The 539 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: fan base is really incredible. Thank you so much hospitality 540 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 1: here and is welcome. It's really overwhelming. We were not 541 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: expecting this. I'm very humble to be here. They love 542 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 1: the Lakers and the Celtics. We've gotten them now to 543 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: really love the Miami Heat and that's been a really 544 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: cool part of it. So I wanted everybody to really 545 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: kind of understand that, and I basically made an agreement 546 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: with NBA that will do this every year. We'll do 547 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 1: as many clinics as you possibly want, but there's going 548 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: to be some people in charge. My cousin Hannah, who 549 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: grew up in the Philippines and then she came over 550 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 1: her high school, the family and college and now she 551 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: still lives in the States and their family, but she 552 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: would be the point person. So anybody wanted me to 553 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: do anything, you had to talk to my cousin Hannah, 554 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: and then my uncle Tony, her dad. He basically was 555 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: or is the patriarch of that side of the family. 556 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: And every trip would end where we'd have to drive 557 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: an hour and a half to Laguna, where my mother 558 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: is from, and we would have a big party at 559 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: my uncle Tony and Titaminda's house where roasted pig and everybody. 560 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: But it was mandatory that everybody had to go on 561 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: that trip, and he had to get on the bus 562 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: and go I dour and a half to three hours 563 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: to get there, and we would just have an amazing party. 564 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: My uncle Tony does his own spread with pig and 565 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: lumpia pen set everything, and then he has a small 566 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: coconut farm, so he makes this coconut moonshine. Everybody has 567 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: to drink it, and it was really fun to be 568 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: able to have my staff come out there and then 569 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: the entire international NBA staff would climb on these buses, 570 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: and that was part of the agreement, you know, to 571 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: travel there and have an awesome party at the end 572 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: of the week. Basketball is a very famous sport here 573 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: as compared to footballer b spot that right there is 574 00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: Fatima Fatstlenttito, former player of the Rate University of the 575 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:05,520 Speaker 1: Philippines and the women's national team. So when we heard 576 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 1: that he was going to talk to us and teach us, 577 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 1: we were all excited because not only because he's a 578 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: head coach in the NBA, but also because he's Filipino, 579 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: So I guess we have that sort of connection. That's 580 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: why we were so interested and excited to get to 581 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: know him thet What does it mean to you to 582 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: be the first Filipino head coach, really, the first Asian 583 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: head coach in North American sports? At first, I didn't 584 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: think anything of it, really because when I got the opportunity, 585 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: I was thirty seven years old and I didn't really 586 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: think I was ready anyway. Pat kind of had to 587 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: push me and tell me to get my sh i together, 588 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: and you know this is the direction we're going, So 589 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: wrapped your mind around and get ready for the press. Confidence. 590 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: So I was kind of in my head more insecure 591 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: and thinking that I needed more experience. But I think 592 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: subconsciously I probably knew in the back of my mind, like, 593 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: all right, I felt like I didn't have experience. I 594 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:11,319 Speaker 1: also felt somewhere subconsciously that I didn't look like your 595 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 1: typical NBA head coach. I wasn't an older veteran coach, 596 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 1: wasn't white. You don't really know what box to put 597 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: me in. And I probably looked a lot younger than 598 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: even thirty seven. So I just knew subconsciously that I 599 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: didn't look the part, and that kind of messes with 600 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: you a little bit. And then my family started to 601 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: tell me that I was the first Asian coach and 602 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: the first Filipino head coach in any sport, and then 603 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: it became a source of pride. You know that you 604 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: can take a different path, you can look different, you 605 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: don't have to look like the stereotypical whatever square jaw 606 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:53,399 Speaker 1: head coach looks like, and you can still perform and 607 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: be a caretaker for your organization. And that's what I 608 00:34:56,160 --> 00:35:00,800 Speaker 1: took pride in And if that opened some eyes and doors, 609 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 1: you know, for somebody else who has a dream that 610 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:06,919 Speaker 1: may be Asian or maybe a different ethnicity, or even 611 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 1: a female, you don't have to look and be the stereotype. 612 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 1: And I think that helped me find a deeper sense 613 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 1: of purpose, you know, for myself in this coaching profession, 614 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: where it wasn't just about doing the job and just 615 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 1: trying to get wins. It became about taking the baton 616 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 1: and you know, hopefully changing perceptions. The passion for basketball 617 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:35,680 Speaker 1: is so amazing in the Philippines, and what you hope 618 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: for is that young kids cannot put limits on what 619 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: their dreams may be. And so if they see more 620 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: role models and see more possibilities of what could be 621 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:48,360 Speaker 1: and it maybe you know, to be an NBA player, 622 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:52,919 Speaker 1: you know, like Jordan Clarkson or Green, but it also 623 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: may be a dream just to work in NBA, to 624 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: work for the NBA main offices, to work in NBA International, 625 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: to be able to work in the video room, you know, somewhere, 626 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 1: to be involved somehow, some way in this great association 627 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 1: that there are so many different opportunities and possibilities now, 628 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 1: and hopefully like you and I, you know, and everybody 629 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 1: else can kind of pull back the curtain and for 630 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 1: kids that may have just been fans before, they may 631 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,200 Speaker 1: be able to think bigger now, bigger possibilities that, Hey, 632 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: I can be a part of that association and it 633 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: can be a lifetime of opportunities. That's the way I 634 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,800 Speaker 1: look at this the NBA, no matter what our jobs are, 635 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 1: we're doing what we'd love to do. I mean, this 636 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,280 Speaker 1: round ball and ninety four feet in two baskets allow 637 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: us to travel the world, to be able to play 638 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,120 Speaker 1: and compete in the best arenas with the best fan 639 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: base in the world. And you know, now we're able 640 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:53,800 Speaker 1: to share these experiences with so many different kids of 641 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:58,280 Speaker 1: this new younger generation. Hey, if we could be partial 642 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: contributors to being dreammakers, I'm all four, all right, I 643 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 1: think it's time to address the elephant in the road. 644 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,919 Speaker 1: So far, we've covered the figures who made history as 645 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 1: the NBA's first Filipino American player and coach. But there's 646 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: one more piece of this story that remains incomplete. For 647 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 1: a country that likes to think of itself as a 648 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: global leader. When it comes to basketball's cultural imprint, the 649 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: Philippines has never never produced an NBA player was born 650 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: and raised in the country, and throughout the nation's long 651 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:42,839 Speaker 1: history of playing the sport, it's been easy to point 652 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,400 Speaker 1: to one reason why there still hasn't been a homegrown 653 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:49,359 Speaker 1: Filipino player in the league. Height. For the most part, 654 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:53,320 Speaker 1: that reasoning holds at the highest level. Height and length matter. 655 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 1: Who's the current NBA draft prospect that scouts think has 656 00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: a chance to create an entirely new geometry of it's 657 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 1: possible on an NBA floor Victor Wimbanyama, the seven foot 658 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 1: four prodigy from France. Meanwhile, you can still find back 659 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: to the basket big men in today's PBA who stand about, 660 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,120 Speaker 1: I don't know, six feet four inches tall. Don't get 661 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:17,280 Speaker 1: me wrong, these are incredibly skilled players, some of whom 662 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 1: flash the kind of low post footwork that hasn't existed 663 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 1: in the NBA since the days of Kevin McHale. But 664 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: a six four center who likes to operate within fifteen 665 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 1: feet of the basket and is shorter than several NBA 666 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: point guards not a recipe for success, and the spaced 667 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: out modern NBA, where many of the most successful teams 668 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 1: emphasized attributes like speed, length, and of course, three point shooting. 669 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. Of all the players throughout Philippine 670 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:49,719 Speaker 1: basketball history who've explored the possibility of trying to make 671 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:53,319 Speaker 1: the NBA, only one had a real training camp offer 672 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,520 Speaker 1: from a team, and it wasn't one of the handful 673 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 1: of skilled big men six ft nine and above that 674 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: the Philippines has produced. No by all accounts, the local 675 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,120 Speaker 1: player who had the best chance of anyone to date 676 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:08,800 Speaker 1: of making an NBA roster, who, as a story goes, 677 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 1: chose the security of his PBA career over a training 678 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 1: camp invite, was the smallest MVP in PPA history, five 679 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 1: foot seven Johnny Abarrientos, also known as the Flying A 680 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: or just Johnny A. Here do me a favor and 681 00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:29,320 Speaker 1: read off some of his accomplishments, some meaning that there's 682 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:41,879 Speaker 1: more than Johnny A's body of work dependss. If I 683 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:45,400 Speaker 1: gave you his entire Hall of Fame resume, we'd be 684 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 1: here all day, believe me, all right? Here goes um 685 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:54,920 Speaker 1: member of twelve PBA championship teams, YEP two time PBA 686 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: Finals MVP, two time nineteen ninety six PBA Most Valuable 687 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: Player shortest ever Best Player of the Conference award for 688 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:11,960 Speaker 1: the nineteen ninety seven Commissioners Cup. You bet six time? Wait, Nico, 689 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: what's a mythical team? Oh? Yeah, about that? That's just 690 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:19,480 Speaker 1: what we in the Philippines call our all league team. 691 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 1: Say all NBA instead of saying all PBA, we say 692 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 1: mythical team. Um okay, So I do love how we 693 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:30,720 Speaker 1: find a way to put some completely unnecessary but still 694 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:37,439 Speaker 1: fabulous Filipino flair onto perfectly functional categories like all PBA teams. Hey, 695 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 1: it's just like that old tourism slogan goes, it is 696 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 1: more fun in the Philippines. Although although I do like 697 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:47,920 Speaker 1: your version of it is more fabulous in the Philippines, 698 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,879 Speaker 1: I think that applies better. Okay, back to the show. 699 00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 1: Otherwise I've never going to finish the store of Johnny 700 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:58,200 Speaker 1: A's trophy case. So six time PBA Mythical First Team, 701 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:04,320 Speaker 1: six one time PBA Mythical Second Team, robbed, eight time 702 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:08,280 Speaker 1: PBA All Star h see, that's a simple name. Five 703 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:13,000 Speaker 1: time PBA All Defensive Team at five seven PBA All 704 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 1: time steals leader with one thousand, three hundred and fifty eight. 705 00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:20,120 Speaker 1: His career average of one point eight three steals per 706 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,319 Speaker 1: game is higher than any other player on the top 707 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:25,279 Speaker 1: twenty all time list. You Bet named one of the 708 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:28,920 Speaker 1: PBA's Top twenty five Greatest players during the league's twenty 709 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 1: fifth anniversary celebrations. M Original Idea named one of the 710 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:38,400 Speaker 1: PBA's Top forty greatest players during the league's forty anniversary celebration. 711 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:42,759 Speaker 1: Current wait till the fiftieth. But okay, and stop me 712 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:46,600 Speaker 1: if you've heard this before. Shortest MVP in PBA history 713 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:51,000 Speaker 1: seven five ft seven on a good day. All right, 714 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:53,759 Speaker 1: that's it, I think. Let me catch my breath now, 715 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:58,160 Speaker 1: But I get the point. This overwhelming list of achievements 716 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:02,560 Speaker 1: means that Johnny A was a very bad slash good 717 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:06,200 Speaker 1: man on the court. That's exactly the thing. The resume 718 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,160 Speaker 1: is only the tip of the iceberg, though. His greatness 719 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: really comes into focus when you hear the way Johnny's 720 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 1: peers talked about playing with and against him, Like the 721 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer Jeff the Jet Caryasso, Johnny's teammate from 722 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 1: the Alaska ass You know, he could be the leader, 723 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:23,880 Speaker 1: he could be the guy that's running the show. But 724 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:26,960 Speaker 1: at the same time MVP from day one, from his 725 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,440 Speaker 1: first year, he's already you know, established as the up 726 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:32,960 Speaker 1: and coming point guard and you know everyone is talking 727 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:36,200 Speaker 1: about him already and how especially is but it you know, 728 00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:38,560 Speaker 1: when you get two or three years of experience under 729 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:42,120 Speaker 1: your belt, you know you get someone that that's you know, 730 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:44,200 Speaker 1: going to be a future Hall of Famer. And we 731 00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 1: knew that during that time. So when you see him play, 732 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:50,640 Speaker 1: you know, the first time I heard this description about 733 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:54,280 Speaker 1: you know, basketball and it being a group of five 734 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,600 Speaker 1: kind of being in the same motion was Coach Tim 735 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 1: described in our triangle as like a dance. You know, 736 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:03,040 Speaker 1: you all got to be, you know, working together and 737 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:06,799 Speaker 1: dancing together, or it's just gonna it's not gonna look good, 738 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:09,480 Speaker 1: it's not gonna work. So that's already described Johnny. Just 739 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:11,680 Speaker 1: when he was playing out there, it was like on 740 00:43:11,719 --> 00:43:14,719 Speaker 1: his own. He was kind of just dancing, you know, 741 00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: on a different mode. While everyone is either going super 742 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:20,760 Speaker 1: slow or super fast. He's kind of taking his time 743 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,839 Speaker 1: and just those want attack, those want to slow down. 744 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:25,840 Speaker 1: He just out there on a different level. And you 745 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:29,359 Speaker 1: noticed that already. Noticing me being a player, one thing 746 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:32,440 Speaker 1: that stood up for me also is the fact that 747 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:35,440 Speaker 1: he just made everyone look good. Just run the floor, 748 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:39,000 Speaker 1: wings and I get to the ball, set a good screen, 749 00:43:39,239 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 1: bigs and roll and I get to the ball and 750 00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:45,160 Speaker 1: you get an easy too. So yeah, that's why you special. 751 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,560 Speaker 1: Every day in practice, Tea made say he would make 752 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:50,399 Speaker 1: a play or three that would make a team full 753 00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:53,319 Speaker 1: of other professional athletes stop dead in the tracks and 754 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:56,759 Speaker 1: look at each other like, did Johnny really just do that? 755 00:43:57,360 --> 00:43:59,600 Speaker 1: He'd go weeks, they say, without missing a jump shot 756 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:03,520 Speaker 1: in drill imports, you know, the foreign reinforcements to get 757 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 1: flown in and paid extra to be the best players 758 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,480 Speaker 1: on the floor. They called Johnny the best player on 759 00:44:08,520 --> 00:44:10,880 Speaker 1: the floor every time he suited up for the Alaska 760 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:14,640 Speaker 1: Aces in his prime, he routinely inspired awe and the 761 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:19,920 Speaker 1: hardest audience to impress fellow pro ball players. When you 762 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:23,319 Speaker 1: ask Johnny's contemporaries to name one of his weaknesses, they're 763 00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:28,040 Speaker 1: genuinely stopped. His playmaking, his creativity with a ball, shooting, 764 00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:31,800 Speaker 1: his defense, even his rebounding. At five to seven, often 765 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:34,000 Speaker 1: the smallest guy on the court, he was pulling down 766 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:37,520 Speaker 1: close to five boards per game at the point guard spot. 767 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 1: Throughout his late nineties, prime. There was nothing that guy 768 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 1: couldn't do on a basketball court. Conventional wisdom might lead 769 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:47,279 Speaker 1: you to name height as a weakness, but good luck 770 00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 1: finding many examples of opponents who would be able to 771 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,960 Speaker 1: exploit Johnny's short stature. I know, I know, I'm gushing 772 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:56,919 Speaker 1: over here, but let me get off one more thoughts, 773 00:44:56,920 --> 00:45:00,080 Speaker 1: just one more. It wasn't just Johnny A's talent that 774 00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:03,000 Speaker 1: left fans and fellow PBA players calling him the best 775 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:06,280 Speaker 1: point guard in league history. He was also a born winner, 776 00:45:06,719 --> 00:45:09,800 Speaker 1: the most important player on the most dominant PBA dynasty 777 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 1: the league had ever seen. Starting with a nineteen ninety 778 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:15,880 Speaker 1: four Governors Cup, Johnny A's Alaska aces appeared in the 779 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:20,719 Speaker 1: finals of every PBA conference but one for the next 780 00:45:20,719 --> 00:45:25,719 Speaker 1: four years. In PBA years, that's eleven finals appearances in 781 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:29,160 Speaker 1: twelve tries, with an eight three record in the finals 782 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:33,920 Speaker 1: for eight total championships in four years. That's just staggering. 783 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:36,680 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, when you put it that way, I 784 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:40,000 Speaker 1: guess it's not that surprising that MBA scouts would catch 785 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:43,000 Speaker 1: wind of this little guy in Manila who they needed 786 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 1: to see and the situation in which an MBA franchise 787 00:45:46,280 --> 00:45:49,680 Speaker 1: recruited Johnny A made sense. It was nineteen ninety seven, 788 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:53,839 Speaker 1: right after Johnny's MVP season, and an international scout named 789 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:57,319 Speaker 1: Joe Bettencourt, who worked with the Charlotte Hornets, believed that 790 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,319 Speaker 1: Johnny just might be able to fill the hole in 791 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:05,800 Speaker 1: Charlotte's rotation left by five foot three point guard Muggsy Bogues, 792 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:08,680 Speaker 1: who was battling knee injuries at that point in his career. 793 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:18,400 Speaker 1: Us Muggsie the crowd. Bettencourt's theory was that if Johnny 794 00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:21,279 Speaker 1: could translate his game to the NBA, he'd fit right 795 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:24,680 Speaker 1: into Muggsie's role when Bogus was off the floor. Similar 796 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:29,040 Speaker 1: in height, speeds, smarts, leadership abilities, and an ability to 797 00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:33,360 Speaker 1: single handedly prevent opposing teams from getting into their offense 798 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:37,120 Speaker 1: with their ball hawking defense, the scout envisioned Johnny A 799 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:40,640 Speaker 1: as the ready made replacement in case Muggsie's recovery from 800 00:46:40,719 --> 00:46:45,440 Speaker 1: knee surgery took longer than expected. Bettencourt discussed the possibility 801 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:49,160 Speaker 1: of Johnny A coming over two different times that season. First, 802 00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:51,200 Speaker 1: he tried to set Johnny up with an invite to 803 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:55,320 Speaker 1: Hornet's training camp, but for the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player, 804 00:46:55,480 --> 00:46:58,439 Speaker 1: putting his Philippine career on pause for a couple months 805 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:00,840 Speaker 1: to go try out in Charlotte with no guarantee of 806 00:47:00,960 --> 00:47:05,359 Speaker 1: landing an MBA contract, was too risky to pursue. Once 807 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:08,880 Speaker 1: the NBA season began, Bencourt flew back to Manila and 808 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,759 Speaker 1: proposed another idea sign a ten day contract to jump 809 00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:16,279 Speaker 1: right into the Hornet's roster. Now NBA fans know that 810 00:47:16,360 --> 00:47:18,759 Speaker 1: a ten day deal is far from a sure path 811 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:21,560 Speaker 1: to a long MBA career, but Johnny A and the 812 00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:24,759 Speaker 1: Alaska franchise were ready to accept the offer. What's the 813 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:27,399 Speaker 1: worst that could happen? Johnny doesn't make it in the league, 814 00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:29,400 Speaker 1: and he flies home to Manila after a couple of 815 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:32,680 Speaker 1: weeks as not just the first born and raised Filipino 816 00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:35,239 Speaker 1: to make the MBA, but the league's first player from 817 00:47:35,360 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 1: all of Asia. Yeah, I'll take that deal. Unfortunately, it 818 00:47:39,800 --> 00:47:43,360 Speaker 1: never quite came together. But Johnny A's teammates remember just 819 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:46,360 Speaker 1: how close he was to writing his name in the 820 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:49,439 Speaker 1: MBA history books, and to hear guys like his former 821 00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:53,000 Speaker 1: backcourt partner Jeff Carriasso tell it, Johnny might have lasted 822 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 1: more than just ten days in the league. Would he 823 00:47:56,120 --> 00:47:59,400 Speaker 1: have done well? I think so what did it have 824 00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:02,160 Speaker 1: been tremendous challenge on his end? I would say, I 825 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:05,080 Speaker 1: think so awesome, because you know, there are a lot 826 00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:07,440 Speaker 1: of good players. There are a lot of good guys 827 00:48:07,520 --> 00:48:09,920 Speaker 1: who were three or four intis taller than him, but 828 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:13,080 Speaker 1: just as quick, you know, longer arms, get pressures of 829 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:15,600 Speaker 1: wall like he does. But would he have been able 830 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:17,520 Speaker 1: to kind of handle his own a little bit? I 831 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:20,600 Speaker 1: say yes, he was that talented where you know you 832 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:22,840 Speaker 1: really have to take a second look at him. To me, 833 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:25,160 Speaker 1: that says a lot. And would he have gone there 834 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,719 Speaker 1: and killed it right from the get go? That would 835 00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:29,600 Speaker 1: have been a challenge. That would be asking for a lot, 836 00:48:29,640 --> 00:48:31,799 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, but to be out there 837 00:48:31,840 --> 00:48:34,200 Speaker 1: and compete and to be able to kind of handle 838 00:48:34,239 --> 00:48:36,799 Speaker 1: yourself a little bit and be able to show kiss 839 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:39,520 Speaker 1: what you have for sure, no question. And if he 840 00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:41,520 Speaker 1: had that opportunity with a little bit of a time, 841 00:48:41,560 --> 00:48:45,120 Speaker 1: then who knows what could have happened. Dang, we're talking 842 00:48:45,160 --> 00:48:48,359 Speaker 1: about what answer earlier? Well, what if Johnny A Had 843 00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:51,400 Speaker 1: actually taken the leap and made it onto the Hornet's 844 00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:55,719 Speaker 1: roster in ninety seven? Imagine a Filipino point guard and 845 00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:59,440 Speaker 1: those classic purple and teel uniforms. What do you think 846 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:02,800 Speaker 1: have just flown over for training camp instead of waiting 847 00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:05,560 Speaker 1: for that ten day contract. I mean, judging by that 848 00:49:05,719 --> 00:49:09,040 Speaker 1: list of achievements, he would like seven more championships between 849 00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:11,120 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven and the end of his career. So 850 00:49:11,320 --> 00:49:14,800 Speaker 1: Johnny probably doesn't have much to regret. Well, that's true, 851 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:17,720 Speaker 1: and although it does sound like Charlotte was genuinely interested 852 00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:20,480 Speaker 1: in giving Johnny a look, and Scott's like Bencourt, must 853 00:49:20,520 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 1: have believed he really did have what it took to 854 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:26,680 Speaker 1: succeed in the NBA. But a camp invite isn't a 855 00:49:26,760 --> 00:49:29,800 Speaker 1: guaranteed contract, which is what he already had in Manila, 856 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:32,799 Speaker 1: where he was the reigning PBA MVP at the height 857 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:35,799 Speaker 1: of his powers. That's tough to walk away from without 858 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:40,120 Speaker 1: a guaranteed deal. Also, the NBA still hadn't truly welcomed 859 00:49:40,200 --> 00:49:43,600 Speaker 1: international talent at that point in time. Durk Navitsky hadn't 860 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:46,280 Speaker 1: even been drafted yet, there had never been a player 861 00:49:46,320 --> 00:49:50,239 Speaker 1: from Asia in the league. Yaoming was still eight years away. Nowadays, 862 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:52,560 Speaker 1: I think a player in Johnny's position would be more 863 00:49:52,680 --> 00:49:55,239 Speaker 1: likely to take that chance because there are so many 864 00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:58,600 Speaker 1: other athletes from around the world thriving in the NBA 865 00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:04,160 Speaker 1: and plus, Johnny's brush with history almost feels more legendary 866 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:08,160 Speaker 1: because he didn't go to Charlotte. He's this mythical Filipino 867 00:50:08,239 --> 00:50:10,960 Speaker 1: point guard who came closer than any of his countrymen 868 00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:14,640 Speaker 1: before or since to making an NBA roster, and that 869 00:50:14,840 --> 00:50:17,960 Speaker 1: means he left the generations of players coming up behind 870 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:20,759 Speaker 1: him with a goal to pick up where he left 871 00:50:20,840 --> 00:50:24,840 Speaker 1: off and finished what Johnny a started. It's been twenty 872 00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:28,879 Speaker 1: five years since Johnny earned that shot. Now it's time 873 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:35,960 Speaker 1: for the Philippines next great talent to step up. Jas