bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Erik Spoelstra would like Manny Pacquiao to come hang out with the Miami Heat, but do not look for him to add the Filipino boxing champ to the coaching staff anytime soon.
 "That won't happen, but I'd love to have him come out and spend some time with the team," Spoelstra said.
 Pacquiao announced recently he plans to become the player-coach of the newly created Kia Motors team when the next season of the Philippine Basketball Association begins.
 "Even when I was a kid, even before I learned to box, basketball was my first love," said Pacquiao.
 Spoelstra, who is of Filipino descent, and Pacquiao are two of the most popular sports figures in the Philippines. They also share  a love of basketball.
 "It doesn't surprise me," Spoelstra said of Pacquiao becoming a coach. He's a tremendous fan of basketball and the NBA.
 "He plays pickup all the time. But I'm sure [boxing trainer] Freddie Roach doesn't appreciate that."
 Spoelstra will travel to the Philippines during the off season to conduct basketball clinics and he hopes to attend one of Pacquiao's games.
 "I'll try to make it out and see if I can catch a game this summer," said Spoelstra. 
 Being a basketball coach is just the latest role for eight-time champion boxer Pacquiao, who has also tried his hand at politics, acting and preaching.
 If Pacquiao pushes through with his basketball career, he would have to do so while training for an upcoming fight in November and serving his constituents as a congressman.
 "He has an incredible way of managing all the different things on his plate. I couldn't do that," said Spoelstra, who is the first Filipino-American head coach in any of the major North American pro sports.


Erik Spoelstra invites 'coach Pacman' to hang with Miami Heat

Manny Pacquiao eyes basketball glory as a coach. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Other Sport