Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20) — Basketball in the Philippines is like a religion with a cult following.
An ordinary Filipino knows a thing or two about basketball, and that is a fact.
Knowing how crazy Filipinos are about basketball, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy said it’s an honor for him to be on the ground.
\”The basketball culture down here has always been very high. For me to be here and be able to experience this culture firsthand is exciting for me,\” he told CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk Tuesday.
Handy is a three-time NBA champion, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors claim their first championships in 2016 and 2019, respectively. He was also part of the Lakers’ title run in the 2020 bubble.
With the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup to be co-hosted by the Philippines fast approaching, Handy pointed out that the main issue national teams face is the lack of time.
\”The problem with a lot of national teams is being able to get the players together, to spend time together, and get some cohesiveness,\” he said.
\”That’s always an issue because you have players play all over the place they play around the world so when the national team comes together there’s only a small amount of time,\” Handy added.
