As part of the U.S. Department of State’s Sports Envoy Program, American basketball professionals Sam Vincent and Taj McWilliams-Franklin are visiting the Philippines to participate in a series of engagements that will showcase American excellence in basketball and empower young Filipino athletes and leaders.
This initiative is aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between Filipinos and Americans through their shared love for sports, while inspiring the next generation of leaders.
Vincent is an NBA champion with the Boston Celtics in 1986 while McWilliams-Franklin is a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock in 2008 and the Minnesota Lynx in 2011. Both players transitioned to coaching following their successful professional careers as players.
During their visit, Vincent and McWilliams-Franklin will lead basketball clinics and leadership seminars in Alaminos City in Pangasinan and Pasig City in Metro Manila, organized in partnership with the local government. They will also participate in the Philippine Basketball Association’s 50th anniversary festivities in Quezon City.
The visiting U.S. sports envoys bring their professional and collegiate coaching experiences to train young athletes in basketball fundamentals while fostering the values of leadership, dedication, and teamwork that will help participants succeed in their professional lives.
The visit underscores a love of basketball in the United States and the Philippines—one of many facets of the people-to-people ties that form the bedrock of the US-PH bilateral relationship.
“Basketball has long been a shared passion between Americans and Filipinos. Through the U.S. Sports Envoy Program in the Philippines, we celebrate that connection while also empowering young people with the leadership, dedication, and teamwork skills that sports uniquely provide,” U.S. Embassy ChargĂ© d’Affaires, a.i. Y. Robert Ewing said.Â
The U.S. Department of State’s Sports Envoy Program sends passionate, inspirational professional athletes to engage communities across the world. Since its launch in 2005, more than 300 envoys representing 24 different sports have traveled on behalf of the U.S. government to deliver impactful programs and strengthen bilateral relations.
