The NBA 2020 Finals showed Erik Spoelstra’s optimism and poise as a coach in carrying his underdog team to an Eastern Conference championship. As the first and only Asian American head coach in the NBA, his presence and voice carries a vast amount of weight among the Asian American basketball community.
Despite Spoelstra’s establishing himself over the last 12 years with the Heat, a run that has included winning two NBA championships, his success has only slightly cracked open the door for Asian coaches to follow in his footsteps. One of those coaches, though, is up-and-coming UC Riverside coach Mike Magpayo.