MANILA, Philippines – Legendary Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) champion head coach Tim Cone was having lunch with a friend in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday, July 13 (Thursday, July 14, Manila time) and noticed Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra across the room. 

The two have known each other for more than a decade and recently began working simultaneously in NBA Summer League, so of course, greetings were made.

Moments later, a waiter approached Cone and his companion and said, “Hey, your bill has been taken care of.”

It’s a microcosm of the significant friendship that continues to blossom between two of the Philippines’ adored basketball masterminds – Cone, a 24-time champion in the PBA and considered this country’s “Greatest of All Time,” and Spoelstra, a two-time NBA champion who Cone believes is considered almost “God-like” by this hoops-loving nation.

“We’ve spoken quite a bit,” Cone shared to Rappler in a Zoom interview with select media arranged by the Miami Heat. 

“He has a walking crew he goes with every morning, does walks, and I’ve been a part of that crew for a long time, 10 years. Every time I’m around, I get the chance to join that crew.”

“It’s an amazing experience,” Cone continued. “You get a lot of interaction, not just with Spo himself, but the key guys and the staff – you get a chance to talk to them, pick their brains.”

That staff includes Chris Quinn and Malik Allen, the current head coach of Miami’s summer league squad which Cone has been around for the last two weeks. 

The Barangay Ginebra tactician is scheduled to get on a flight back to the Philippines on Thursday in the US. 

This unique opportunity where Cone had a chance to learn the ins-and-outs of an NBA franchise, even if it isn’t the actual season, gave him new perspectives and lessons that he hopes to eventually implement in the Philippines.

“Being a part of that and watching that progress has been an eye-opener for me. Truly an amazing time watching these guys, the coaches, and staff do their work,” he shared.

But the 64-year-old legend seems to value the friendships he developed during this process slightly more.

Cone and Spoelstra have bonded over the experiences and lessons basketball battles have taught them over the years. 

An example of that is not pushing too hard on their players early on.

“Me, when I was really young, I used to kill our guys,” Cone admitted about his disciplinarian ways, which seems fitting for the NBA team he’s currently affiliated with given their “culture,” which he promises is as good as advertised.

“It wore the guys out and it was like diminishing returns – the harder you push, the less you got back. You learn that through experience and over time,” Cone explained.

“Coach Spo, he’s admitted to me that same thing. He has to be careful, especially with his vets and how they condition.”

Cone, however, didn’t get much insight into Spoelstra’s innate, non-basketball emotions. 

The tested veteran admits that Miami’s driving force – considered by many pundits to be the best head coach in the NBA – does a good job of getting others to speak rather than providing information himself, which is part of his allure.

“Spo is just a really, really great person and humble man. Apparently, I’ve been told beat writers have a hard time pulling him out, getting him to talk about himself, and even when you talk to him, you always end up talking about yourself rather than him,” Cone said.

“He just has that way of talking to you and drawing you out but it’s hard to reciprocate because you’re constantly talking about yourself – he’s always asking you questions.”

Cone, who says Spoelstra is a “special guy” with a “special story,” feels the term “servant-leader” is a fitting way to describe Miami’s 51-year-old mentor, who worked his way from the video room in the ’90s to the top of the franchise’s coaching hierarchy.

Spoelstra has coached the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Goran Dragic, and Jimmy Butler, just to name a few.

“He serves the team. He doesn’t just command the team. He serves it and I think that’s the big difference-maker for him.”

Cone also shared that Spoelstra is scheduled to have six weeks committed to Team USA next year, which includes a visit to the Philippines for the 2023 World Cup.

“He truly is excited about going. He talks about it all the time,” said Cone, providing insight into how Spoelstra feels about the upcoming trip.

“He heard also he’ll be based in mostly the Philippines. They’re not going to move around a lot of the countries.”

Although Cone said this isn’t confirmed, the expectation is Team USA will be based in Manila and the finale of the World Cup will be played at the Philippine Arena, which should make for a special moment for Spoelstra.

It seems certain when that time comes that Cone – along with a hospitable Philippine nation – will be ready to welcome Spoelstra with open arms. – Rappler.com