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Here's Spoelstra, toward the end of August's trip to Manila, during a clinic he conducted for Filipino coaches: "We have a player on our team — very successful guy. You can probably guess who he is. He has been with us since his rookie year. He's a very physical player." He was, of course, describing Dwyane Wade, but due to the ongoing NBA lockout he was forbidden (along with all other league employees) from making any public utterances of the players' names. The purpose of the workshop was for Spoelstra to transfer his world-class expertise to a few hundred local coaches, who represented teams from the elementary school through professional levels. That goal, however, was sidetracked every time Spoelstra tried to talk around a player's name because hundreds of Filipino coaches would murmur it aloud and then break out in laughter. This was not the only lockout-related inconvenience Spoelstra encountered. Earlier in the week he attended a PBA playoff game, but instead of sitting in the courtside seats any team would have happily provided him, lockout regulations required him to buy tickets. Since he visited during the semifinals, however, the floor seats were sold out and Spoelstra watched from a lower mezzanine area of the Araneta Coliseum. Grantland

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

Each time Spoelstra has come back to the Philippines, the highlight of his return has been a trip to his uncle's home in Los Baños, Laguna. This year the family gathering was especially sweet because Spoelstra brought his sister, Monica, who hadn't been to the country in 37 years. Tony Celino — the family calls him "Uncle Tony" — had a career in the Philippine government, working as a regional director for the National Food Authority. He moved with his family to Wisconsin in the early 1990s, then retired to the Philippines with his wife shortly before Spoelstra's first homecoming in 2009. Each year, Uncle Tony hosts a reception to welcome Spoelstra. At previous parties, the whole neighborhood seemed to show up to greet the coach, but this year's gathering was limited to friends and family. Of course, the head count still clocked in somewhere between 50 and 100 guests, and Uncle Tony laid out a feast. Servers in white uniforms dished out lechon — roast suckling pig — from trays on red-tableclothed tables. Coolers of San Miguel beer were continually refilled. Two separate tarpaulins had been printed with welcome messages for the occasion. Around the corner, near the bathrooms and Uncle Tony's pool and natural hot-spring Jacuzzi, was a similar banner from one of Spoelstra's previous visits. This one read COACH SPO FOR PRESIDENT. Spoelstra's relatives at the party all wore custom shirts that contained a well-meaning if slightly awkward acrostic tribute to the guest of honor: Coach So Proud Of You! Grantland

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

Love said he has little interest in playing on a professional basketball team overseas during the lockout, but is expected to participate on a barnstorming tour with other NBA players in October in China and the Philippines. He is also taking a summer course at UCLA and might enroll for fall classes if the lockout hasn’t ended. “I just don’t think it’s good for business if we don’t have a season,” Love said. “Hopefully, there will be something that happens. All the players really want to play basketball. Hopefully, we can work out the right deal. “You hear December, January, there’s not going to be a season. I think we anticipate missing games. Training camp is right around the corner, but all we can do is keep on a steady path and hope to make some leeway.” Yahoo! Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves, Lockout, Kevin Love, China, Philippines 

The National Basketball Association (NBA) encourages Filipinos to embrace a healthy lifestyle by taking part in a fun at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on August 7. Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will flag off the race and then take part in the run as part of the NBA Fit, the league’s comprehensive health and wellness program. Sun-Star

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

“Being fit and staying fit is a big part of being effective in basketball. Being able to combine basketball and my heritage gives me such great pride,” said Spoelstra, who is NBA FIT Ambassador to the Philippines. Sun-Star

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

After investigating the Sacramento opportunity, Pangilinan and Reyes began discussing other opportunities. When the option of bringing over NBA players came up, Reyes said he was skeptical. "Kobe, Dwight Howard — all these guys have been to the Philippines," Reyes said. "They come in, wave to the crowd for 30 minutes, do a 15-minute clinic, wave goodbye. Then they'll go to some Nike store, then go to some orphanage. There's no impact." The way to do it, Reyes argued, was to bring a team of young players — "not divas" — who would actually play and put on a show in Manila. Bryant's first trip to Manila, in 1998, is one of the NBA visits Filipinos remember most fondly for precisely that reason. The 19-year-old Kobe, coming off his second NBA season, seemed completely unconcerned with acting like a star. He goofed and showed off in a 3-on-3 game and even donned a barong tagalog and learned the tinikling, a Philippine cultural dance that kind of resembles double-dutch played with bamboo sticks. Grantland

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Lockout, Philippines 

Reyes and Pangilinan's plan sat on the back burner until June 30, when Commissioner David Stern announced the start of the NBA lockout. The players began exploring their overseas opportunities, not just to make an extra buck but to show team owners and the NBA brass that they could earn money outside of the league. "When the lockout was announced," Reyes said, "We said, 'this is it — this is the sign.'" Reyes gave East-West a list of the players he wanted, starting with Rose, Durant, and Blake Griffin, and Scott and Espaldon started calling agents to check the players' interest, availability, and what it would take to bring them to Manila for a weekend. Grantland

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Lockout, Philippines 

Aaron Goodwin: Check out @Kevin Durant featured in the sports section of the Philippine Star after yesterday's exhibition http://twitpic.com/5uv7om Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Philippines 

Aaron Goodwin: Here's @Nate Robinson handing out medals to the winners of Saturday night's high school game in Surabaya, Indonesia http://twitpic.com/5uv9gt Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Nate Robinson, Philippines 

Nate Robinson: At an orphanage in Surabaya with some great kids. Folks in USA...Be thankful for what you got b! #WorDaApP http://twitpic.com/5uxi0a Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Nate Robinson, Philippines 

James Harden: Me & Manny Pacquiao after the game!! http://lockerz.com/s/123184309 Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Philippines, Manny Pacquiao 

JaVale McGee: Me and manny!!! Lovin Manila !!! http://twitpic.com/5v17sv Twitter

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, Philippines, Manny Pacquiao 

James Harden: "@Derrick Williams: @James Harden , PAC MAN , and me after the game! http://twitpic.com/5v1f30 Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Philippines, Derrick Williams, Manny Pacquiao 

Kobe Bryant and a team of NBA All-Stars took their talents to the Philippines this weekend to put on a show against a team made up of local players while waiting for the NBA lockout to end. Fortunately for Bryant, he showed that he might have a future with either the Harlem Globetrotters or the And-1 Mixtape if the owners and players are unable to come to an agreement sometime soon. Bryant scored 12 points as he joined Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, JaVale McGee, James Harden, Tyreke Evans, Derrick Williams and Lakers teammate Derek Fisher in completing an expected 131-105 rout over the local Filipino players. SB Nation

Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Derek Fisher, Javale McGee, Derrick Rose, James Harden, Tyreke Evans, Philippines, Derrick Williams 

Already accustomed to international basketball, thanks to his 2008 Beijing Olympic experience, New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul this weekend is heading to the Philippines for a two-game exhibition series, and said Wednesday he’s keeping his options open about playing overseas this fall if the NBA lockout persists. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul, Lockout, Philippines 

Paul had said two weeks ago that he would keep his options open, but more likely will return to college at Wake Forest to work toward completing degree requirements. He left the Winston-Salem, N.C., school after his sophomore season in 2005 to turn pro and was drafted by the Hornets. “I wouldn’t say this could lead to it,” Paul said of the possibility of playing in Europe next season, “but those options are open anyway. When I said that (about going back to school), I said I didn’t know. I’m open to all different things.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul, Lockout, Philippines 

Nike and Kobe’s first stop was in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It was a charitable event where Kobe met with athletes from Gawad Kalinga’s youth development program, SIGA, sharing tips on improving their game. Known to be a strong supporter of charitable endeavors, Kobe made it a point to reconnect with young athletes from Gawad Kalinga after meeting them on his 2009 tour. To ensure his presence will have a lasting effect, Nike and Kobe refurbished the Gawad Kalinga basketball court in Taguig to give these athletes a better venue to hone on their basketball skills. Next on the agenda was an event at Nike’s retail outlet Nike Park, at The Fort, where hundreds of Kobe fans were given the chance to get up-close and personal with the basketball superstar. Kobe was joined onstage by kids who previously attended the Kobe Basketball Academy in Southern California for a short Q&A session. SLAM

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Philippines 

Lakers guard and National Basketball Players Assn. President Derek Fisher plans to play in a pair of exhibition games in the Philippines this weekend, his manager, Jamie Wior, confirmed Monday. Fisher will join the likes of Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Derrick Williams, Tyreke Evans and Javelle McGee representing the MVP Sports Foundation, according to a person who was familiar with the roster but wasn't authorized to speak about it publicly. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher, Philippines 

“The Durantula” will be coming to Manila as well. In a development that should make the already-shaken Philippine basketball landscape rock even more, the MVP Sports Foundation has announced that two-time scoring champion and former Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant is joining the stellar NBA cast that will play a two-game series with Smart Gilas Pilipinas and a PBA selection on July 23 and 24 at the Araneta Coliseum. In his Twitter account (@coachot), MVPSF executive director Chot Reyes said the Oklahoma Thunder star is replacing DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers, who couldn't make the trip due to passport hitches, in the once-in-a-lifetime sports spectacle. "Bad news! Kevin Durant is replacing DeAndre Jordan in the Smart Ultimate Weekend. Bad news for us and Gilas. Great for Pinoy Bball fans," Reyes tweeted. philstar.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Philippines 

Reigning MVP and former Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls is the eighth and last member of the stellar NBA cast playing Smart Gilas Pilipinas and a PBA selection in a dream two-game series on July 23 and 24 at the Araneta Coliseum. MVP Sports Foundation president Al Panlilio, whose group is organizing the blockbuster event dubbed the Ultimate All-Star Weekend, said Rose will complete the eight-player roster headed by five-time champions Kobe Bryant and former ROY awardee Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets. “He (Rose) okay, there’s just one detail we’re trying fix out,” said Panlilio, who broke the news Friday night of the much-awaited two-day basketball extravaganza finally happening, yesterday. philstar.com

Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Lockout, Philippines