Spoelstra raves about Heat deputy Cone, says he can coach ‘another 20 years’

MANILA, Philippines – Legendary PBA coach Tim Cone continues his work as an assistant coach for the Miami Heat’s NBA Summer League team, and so far, chief tactician Erik Spoelstra has had nothing but praise for his new colleague.

“He’s an absolute legend over there [in the Philippines], and he’s still young as a coach, so he could go on for another 20 years,” the Fil-Am coach told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“There’s no telling where he’ll end up at that point,” continued Spoelstra, who also spoke highly of Cone’s all-time PBA record of 24 championships.

Cone downplayed the praise, noting that coaches can earn up to three titles per PBA season due to the conference system.

The 64-year-old also said Spoelstra’s three NBA titles – two as a head coach and one as an assistant – “arguably carry more weight.”

That small exchange painted a picture of the respect both coaching stars have for one another, as Cone shared how their friendship got to this point.

“I’ve known him since he came to the Philippines back in 2009, and we have connections through Oregon,” he said. “I’m originally from Oregon, and through his mom, my dad’s cousin, we’ve known each other.”

“I got to know him when I made my first trip over there with the NBA, and got to know him and his staff, and started going to his practices and his games,” Spoelstra added. “Then we just continued the friendship over the years.”

Now that Cone has worked under Spoelstra, the 51-year-old in turn hinted that he is open to returning the favor, perhaps with the Philippine national team Gilas Pilipinas.

Filipino fans through the years have repeatedly clamored for Spoelstra to lead the national team, but understandably, his head coaching duties with one of the NBA’s most successful franchises of the 2010s kept any serious discussions at bay.

“Maybe I can be one of his assistants in one of those tournaments, a long time down the road. That would be pretty cool,” Spoelstra said. – Rappler.com