FILIPINO-AMERICAN coach Erik Spoelstra is set to make history on the global stage as he takes the helm of the United States men’s basketball team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
USA Basketball announced Wednesday, October 15, 2025 (Philippine time), that Spoelstra, the longtime Miami Heat head coach, has been appointed to lead Team USA through the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics.
He succeeds Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who guided the Americans to a fifth straight Olympic gold in Paris last year.
“Absolutely humbled. It’s the honor of a lifetime,” said Spoelstra, a two-time NBA champion with Miami, in an interview with the Associated Press. “The Olympics are incredible, no matter where it is, but to have the opportunity to compete on your own soil, that's simply remarkable.”
Born in Illinois to an American father, Jon Spoelstra, and a Filipina mother, Elisa Celino Spoelstra of San Pablo, Laguna, the 53-year-old coach has long been a source of pride for Filipino fans.
His visit to Manila during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he served as an assistant under Kerr, drew an emotional welcome from the local basketball community.
“I’ve known Erik for the better part of two decades,” said USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, who made the appointment. “Spo is not only an outstanding coach but a great colleague, friend and father — the perfect choice to continue the USA Basketball coaching legacy through 2028.”
Spoelstra becomes only the third coach to lead the US men’s team in a home Olympics, joining Bob Knight (1984 Los Angeles) and Lenny Wilkens (1996 Atlanta). He is also the first coach of Filipino descent to hold the position.
“When they asked me, one of the first people I thought of was Pat [Riley],” Spoelstra said of his longtime mentor and Miami Heat president. “It’s amazing, the serendipity of it being in L.A., where he had so much success. None of this would have happened without him.”
Spoelstra, a father of three, said he discussed the commitment with his family before accepting the post. “My kids still talk about celebrating wins in Paris and finishing the night with ice cream. It was amazing,” he said.
Team USA’s recent journey has shown the growing parity in international basketball. In Paris, the Americans had to rally from a 17-point deficit to defeat Serbia in the semifinals before surviving host France in the gold-medal game behind Stephen Curry’s late heroics.
“The game is global now,” Spoelstra said. “Great players are coming from everywhere.”
Spoelstra’s involvement with USA Basketball began when former national team coach Gregg Popovich and ex-managing director Jerry Colangelo invited him to coach the US Select Team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
He later joined Kerr’s staff for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics, experiences that paved the way for his promotion.
“When we won in Paris, Steve turned to me — joking — and said, ‘Hey, good luck in ’28,’” Spoelstra recalled. “Guys like Steve, Pop and Coach K, they'll want to make sure that you're prepared to represent the country and the team in an appropriate way.” (From the Wires)