Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
The 31-year-old Williams drew the ire of Filipino sports fans when he rebuffed a golden chance to represent the country in the prestigious invitational tournament in Dubai.
A pair of Filipino-American basketball personalities drew our rapt attention last week.
Erik Spoelstra made a lot of jaws drop when he signed a record-breaking $120 million contract to remain as head coach of the Miami Heat for the next eight years.
On the contrary, Mikey Williams walked away from the money when he rejected a deal to play for Strong Group Athletics in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Spoelstra and Williams were raised in the United States, and both may have Filipino roots, but their values, principles, ethics, and beliefs are miles apart.
The 53-year-old Spoelstra is considered a role model.
Born to a Filipina, Elisa Celino, from San Pablo City, and former National Basketball Association executive Jon Spoelstra, Erik worked his way up, starting as a 24-year-old video coordinator for the Heat in 1995.
Four years later, he was promoted to assistant coach, then scouting director in 2001. His biggest break came in 2006 when he masterfully scouted Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks that gave Dwayne Wade and the Heat their first NBA title.
After two years, Pat Riley stepped down and promoted Spoelstra to head coach, making him the first-ever Asian-American mentor in the history of all North American sports leagues.
Instead of shying away from the limelight, Spoelstra responded mightily.
He led the Heat to the NBA playoffs in his first year as head coach before landing superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form a super team with Wade. Although the Heat lost the title to the Mavericks in 2011, they eventually won back-to-back crowns when they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 and the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.
Spoelstra again led the Heat to the Finals the following year, but this time, they fell to the Spurs in five games of their best-of-seven series.
Still, Spoelstra made a mark as he became the first Asian-American coach to lead his team to four straight finals appearances and win an NBA title.
Now, the humble former video coordinator has been rewarded with a shiny new contract that will make him $120 million richer over the next eight years. Yes, his marriage fell apart when his wife, Nikki Sapp, filed for a divorce in November, but the fact remains that Spoelstra is now one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA.
On the other hand, Williams frustratingly dropped the ball.
The 31-year-old Williams drew the ire of Filipino sports fans when he rebuffed a golden chance to represent the country in the prestigious invitational tournament in Dubai.
Worse, he kept the team hanging until the very last minute, with Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu candidly admitting that he was not answering his phone to put their initial agreement into motion.
Williams would definitely not have been paid peanuts. Unverified reports had it that Strong Group was dangling $18,000 for his 20 days of service on top of another $18,000 should he lead the team to the title.
His unprofessional stunt wasn’t new.
He also played hardball with his Philippine Basketball Association club — TNT Tropang Giga — despite being locked into a three-year contract.
When Tropang Giga refused to give him what he wanted, Williams shut them down and refused to come over to play in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Had he agreed to play for Strong Group, Williams would have had a chance to earn some serious money while repairing his damaged relationship with his Filipino teammates, coaches, and officials, which could eventually lead to his return to the PBA.
But, no, instead of being humble and grateful for the chance to play for the country that welcomed him with open arms, Williams made a mockery of it by dishonoring their initial deal.
Truly, success isn’t measured by the amount of money you make. It is measured by your discipline, inner peace, and the number of people who love and respect you.
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Credit belongs to: tribune.net.ph
