Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and the first-ever Asian-American head coach of the NBA, Coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat will lead the Philippine contingent on its final bid to host the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the world’s most popular basketball sporting events featuring the top national basketball teams worldwide.
Manny Pacquiao and Erik Spoelstra will lead a powerhouse cast of sports celebrities that will join Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) officials when the Philippine contingent makes a final presentation before top honchos of the world basketball body (FIBA) on June 18, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Aside from the two well-known figures from the Philippines, the SBP is also looking to bring in NBA legend David Robinson and superstar Kobe Bryant to add punch to the Philippines’ bid to beat China for the right to host the highly anticipated 2019 World Cup of Basketball.
The leaked news was confirmed by Manny Pacquiao’s business manager Eric Pineda, who stated that the Filipino boxing icon has agreed to join the mission and already instructed his men to clear up his schedule for the Geneva mission of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
The right to earn the hosting for the world championship which will return to the Philippines for the first time since the 1978 staging of the game in Manila. The country will have to beat the Asian rival China which is expected to tap its own basketball hero, the former Houston Rockets superstar Yao Ming who is expected to join his country on their bidding presentation.
