Arthur (Chip) Engelland and Jim Kelly used to be the faces of Philippine basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both Engelland and Kelly are well-known personalities in the country’s cage scene in the 80s and 90s. Engelland, the former Duke hotshot, played for the Philippine training team under coach Ron Jacobs and the hero of the Philippine national squad which bagged the 1985 Jones Cup over a high-caliber US college selection. Presently an assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Chip, who considers the Philippines as his second country, also saw action in the PBA as he led the Northern Consolidated squad to a conference title in 1985.Kelly is currently the Senior Director of Scouting for the Toronto Raptors. He once was a consultant with the now-defunct Presto Tivolis ball club in the PBA. Kelly likewise has done some TV games for the PBA as an analyst during his stay in the country. He is married to a Filipina. Kelly remains in contact with his Filipino basketball friends and continue to recommend prospective imports to the PBA including potential Fil-Americans. Ateneo coach Norman Black was once an observer of the Raptors training camp courtesy of Kelly.
Last season marks a milestone for Philippine basketball as Fil-American Erik Spoelstra was named as head coach of the Miami Heat. No less than the legendary mentor Pat Riley himself who passed the baton to Spoelstra as top guru of the Heat. Long before his promotion to the Miami top post, the 38-year old Spoelstra rose from the ranks after serving as video coordinator, advance scout and assistant coach for the Heat. He is currently the youngest coach in the NBA today and was born to Filipina mother Elisa Caridad Celino and Dutch-Irish father Jon Spoelstra, who himself had previous NBA front office stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets.
Last July, Spoelstra made a grand comeback in the Philippines after 35 years as part of an American group which conducted cage clinics in Manila and Zamboanga. Spoelstra evidently was very happy and excited during his six-day stay in the country.
Last July, Spoelstra made a grand comeback in the Philippines after 35 years as part of an American group which conducted cage clinics in Manila and Zamboanga. Spoelstra evidently was very happy and excited during his six-day stay in the country.
Actually there are many Fil-Americans who are presently working on various capacities for many NBA teams. Let’s stop dreaming of one day seeing a pinoy cager playing in the NBA but we can not discount the possibility that a full-blooded Filipino will make it as a head coach in the future. It is not a remote possibility considering that Filipino coaches are well-knowledgeable in the game with great think tanks that some even eat, drink and sleep basketball 24 hours a day.
*****Yesterday, I got from Emerald Headway (local exclusive distributor of top foreign magazines) a copy of SLAM presents Jordan, a Hall-of-Fame tribute to the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) himself, Michael Jordan. It was one great issue, a collector's item and must-read from cover to cover. The said magazine is now out in the market and sells for P 699.00, which is a bargain if you are a serious cage aficionado.
So get a copy now and it’s a guarantee that you won’t have any regrets.
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