By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-06-03 15:03:34
2026年6月2日星期二，在圣安东尼奥马刺队与纽约尼克斯队的总决赛系列赛开打前，马刺队后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 在圣安东尼奥霜银银行中心（Frost Bank Center）的新闻发布会上回答提问。
作为一名拥有菲律宾血统的圣安东尼奥人，前市长罗恩·尼伦伯格 (Ron Nirenberg) 对他眼中这座城市与菲律宾所拥有的共同价值观有着深刻的理解与体悟。
“菲律宾人勤奋努力、乐于奉献、注重家庭且信仰坚定，”他说，“在任何情况下，即便没有我们作为盟友所共同拥有的显赫历史，菲律宾和美国——尤其是美国的这一地区——就算不是亲兄弟，也会是堂表亲。如果说有什么基因标记塑造了圣安东尼奥人的特质，那么这种标记在菲律宾裔社区中也同样非常明显。”
马刺队新秀后卫哈珀和尼克斯队老将后卫乔丹·克拉克森 (Jordan Clarkson) 让菲律宾裔美国人在总决赛中拥有了亮眼的代表，这让尼伦伯格深感自豪。尼伦伯格是一位狂热的马刺球迷，在最近的初选中以压倒性优势战胜现任县长彼得·酒井 (Peter Sakai) 后，他已成为贝克萨尔县（Bexar County）县长的民主党提名人。
现年49岁的尼伦伯格通过其外祖父拥有四分之一的菲律宾血统。
“无论什么时候，能看到我们的传统文化在如此宏大的舞台上展现 military 都是一件美妙的事，而当其中有身穿马刺球衣的球员参与时，那自然就更棒了，”尼伦伯格说道。他在2017年首次当选后执政八年，是该市历史上任期最长的市长之一。
20岁的哈珀和33岁的克拉克森是NBA中日益壮大的菲律宾裔美国人群体的一部分，该群体还包括菲尼克斯太阳队的杰伦·格林 (Jalen Green)、俄克拉荷马雷霆队的贾里德·麦凯恩 (Jared McCain)、哈珀的哥哥罗恩·哈珀二世 (Ron Harper Jr.) 以及迈阿密热火队主教练埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉 (Erik Spoelstra)。
年轻的哈珀和克拉克森都出生在美国，但通过母亲与菲律宾建立了联系。这轮七局四胜制系列赛的胜者将成为NBA历史上首位菲律宾裔总冠军。
据Yahoo.com报道，哈珀的母亲玛丽亚·皮萨罗 (Maria Pizarro) 曾是新奥尔良大学的NCAA一级联赛控球后卫，并在迪伦于新泽西成长期间担任过他的教练。皮萨罗在7岁时从菲律宾移民到美国。
克拉克森的外祖母玛塞丽娜·图劳·金索尔弗 (Marcelina Tullao Kingsolver) 来自菲律宾邦板牙省（Pampanga）的巴科洛尔（Bacolor）。
33岁的克拉克森毕业于圣安东尼奥的瓦格纳高中（Wagner High），他曾代表菲律宾男篮国家队（Gilas Pilipinas）参加了2018年亚运会和2023年FIBA男篮世界杯。
2026年6月2日星期二，在纽约尼克斯队与圣安东尼奥马刺队的总决赛系列赛开打前，尼克斯队后卫克拉克森在圣安东尼奥霜银银行中心的新闻发布会上回答提问。这位33岁的老将曾就读于圣安东尼奥的凯伦·瓦格纳高中（Karen Wagner High School）。
2018年，作为克利夫兰骑士队的一员，克拉克森成为首位在NBA总决赛中登场的菲律宾裔球员。
“我和他正在做一件非常特别的事情，在篮球最大的舞台上代表我们的国家、我们的家乡，代表着一切，”哈珀说，“我觉得在菲律宾，篮球可能就是最受瞩目的运动。”
“我们为此感到非常兴奋，能够处在这样的位置，我们感到无比幸运和感激。”
克拉克森表示，在自己的家乡打总决赛，同时还能代表菲律宾裔社区，是“另一件令人惊叹的事情”。
“这绝对会激励全美各地的菲律宾裔美国人以及菲律宾本土的同胞，”他说，“（对他们来说）这绝对会是一场视觉盛宴。”
克拉克森曾在效力犹他爵士队期间荣膺2021年NBA年度最佳第六人。他表示，自去年夏天马刺队在2025年NBA选秀大会上以榜眼签（第2顺位）选中哈珀后，他就一直在密切关注这位年轻球员。
“他一整年的表现都非常出色，”克拉克森说，“我一直在关注他，跟进他的动态。他如此年轻，却在整个季后赛中展现出如此强大的沉着与冷静，看到一位年轻新星进入这个联盟并打出这样的表现，真是令人欣慰。”
“我们两个人中的一个，将会把总冠军奖杯带回菲律宾，并以此很好地展现我们的形象。”
瓦格纳高中毕业生克拉克森谈及他对蒂姆·邓肯领衔的马刺冠军队的记忆。pic.twitter.com/JB9uxEja3l
— 汤姆·奥斯本 (Tom Orsborn) (@ tom_orsborn) 2026年6月2日
尼伦伯格的市长继任者吉娜·奥尔蒂斯·琼斯 (Gina Ortiz Jones) 同样拥有菲律宾血统。奥尔蒂斯（Ortiz）是她菲律宾裔母亲的娘家姓氏。
2023年，尼伦伯格与菲律宾碧瑶市（Baguio）市长签署了友好城市协议。碧瑶市位于菲律宾最北端、也是最大的主岛吕宋岛（Luzon）上。在二战期间的1945年，该市是美菲联军战胜日本占领军的地点，并在同年晚些时候成为日本在菲军队最终投降的见证地。
“约翰·海营地（Camp John Hay，位于碧瑶附近）在二战中对美国大兵非常重要，因此它与我们作为军事社区的历史息息相关。这对我个人来说有着特殊的意义，”尼伦伯格说道。
尼伦伯格表示，哈珀的菲律宾血统非常契合马刺队长期以来对多元化球迷群体的包容，以及其阵容中历来不乏国际化色彩的历史。
马刺队后卫哈珀谈及提升三分球投射：“其实更多的是泡在体育馆里，每天进行更多的投篮练习。我觉得如果你想成为一名出色的射手，或者说超越出色、达到卓越，你就必须时刻留在体育馆里。”pic.twitter.com/hHFAXXK6XA
— Spurs Nation (@ Spurs_Nation) 2026年6月2日
“多年来，马刺队在这方面赢得了开拓者的美誉。看到这种传统再次被推崇，让我对这座城市所代表的意义以及我们的身份感到无比自豪，”尼伦伯格说，“这不仅仅关乎篮球。”
马刺队每年都会通过各种主题推广之夜来庆祝多元、平等与包容，其中包括对该市黑人、西裔、菲律宾裔以及LGBTQ社区的致敬活动。
“他们真正致敬了我们社区的多元族裔融合，”尼伦伯格说，“没有什么能像马刺队那样，用一支代表整座城市的球队将社区凝聚在一起。看到圣安东尼奥勤勉努力、甘于奉献的文化，被一个行事端正、工作刻苦、拥有正确价值观且代表着体育精神的组织完美地呈现出来，没有比这更棒的了，因为这就是我们向世界展示的形象。”
“他们向世界宣告了我们是谁。”
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：Former mayor Nirenberg proud of NBA Finals' Filipino representation
Former mayor Nirenberg proud of NBA Finals’ Filipino representation
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper answers questions during a news conference at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, ahead of the NBA Finals series between the Spurs and the New York Knicks.
As a San Antonian of Filipino descent, former mayor Ron Nirenberg has a deep appreciation for what he views as the shared values of the city and the Philippines.
“Filipinos are hard working, service oriented, family focused and faith driven,” he said. “In any universe, even without the history we so clearly share as allies, the Philippines and the United States, particularly in this part of the U.S., would be cousins, if not siblings,” he said. “If there is a genetic marker that makes San Antonians who they are, it is very much present in the Filipino community.”
That Filipino Americans are well represented at the NBA Finals in Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper and Knicks veteran guard Jordan Clarkson is a source of pride for Nirenberg, a passionate Spurs fan and the Democratic nominee for Bexar County judge after his recent landslide primary victory over incumbent Peter Sakai.
Nirenberg, 49, is one quarter Filipino through his maternal grandfather.
“It’s wonderful to see our heritage represented on a big stage at any time and certainly even better when someone in a Spurs uniform is involved,” said Nirenberg, one of the longest serving mayors in city history after an eight-year stint that began following his first election in 2017.
Harper, 20, and Clarkson, 33, are part of a growing Filipino American presence in the NBA that includes Phoenix’s Jalen Green, Oklahoma City’s Jared McCain, Harper’s older brother, Ron Harper Jr., and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.
The younger Harper and Clarkson were born in the U.S. but have links to the Philippines through their mothers. The winner of the seven-game series will become the first NBA champion of Filipino descent.
Harper’s mother, Maria Pizarro, is a former NCAA Division I point guard at the University of New Orleans who coached Dylan when he was growing up in New Jersey. Pizarro immigrated to the United States from the Philippines at age 7, per Yahoo.com.
Clarkson’s maternal grandmother, Marcelina Tullao Kingsolver, hailed from Bacolor in the Pampanga province of the Philippines.
A graduate of San Antonio’s Wagner High, Clarkson, 33, played for the Philippines men’s national team, Gilas Pilipinas, in the 2018 Asian Games and at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson answers questions during a news conference at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, ahead of the NBA Finals series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. The 33-year-old attended Karen Wagner High School in San Antonio.
As a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, Clarkson became the first player of Filipino descent to play in the NBA Finals.
“Me and him get to do something really special, representing our country, where we’re from, representing everything on the biggest stage in basketball,” Harper said. "I feel like over there in the Philippines, basketball is probably the biggest thing.
“We’re very excited for that, and we’re just very blessed and grateful to be in this position.”
Clarkson called representing the Filipino community “another amazing thing” about playing in the Finals in his hometown.
“Definitely inspiring to the Filipino Americans and Filipinos all around the country,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be fun to watch (for them).”
Clarkson, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2021 while with the Utah Jazz, said he kept a close eye on Harper after the Spurs selected him No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA draft last summer.
“He’s been really good throughout the whole year,” Clarkson said. "I’ve been watching him, keeping up with him. Him being so young and having so much poise throughout this whole playoffs, it’s a great sight to see a young star coming in this league and doing what he’s doing.
“One of us two (will be) taking a championship back home to the Philippines and representing that well.”
Wagner High grad Jordan Clarkson on his memories of the Tim Duncan-led Spurs championship teams. pic.twitter.com/JB9uxEja3l
— Tom Orsborn (@ tom_orsborn) June 2, 2026
Nirenberg’s successor as mayor, Gina Ortiz Jones, also has Filipino ancestry. Ortiz is her Filipina mother’s maiden name.
In 2023, Nirenberg signed a sister city agreement with his counterpart from Baguio, which is located on Luzon, the northernmost and largest of the Philippines’ main islands. The city was the site of a 1945 U.S. and Philippine victory over occupying Japanese forces in World War II and, later that year, the setting for the final surrender of Japanese forces in the Philippines.
“Camp John Hay (near Baguio) was important for American GIs in World War II, so it relates to our history as a military community. It meant something personal to me,” Nirenberg said.
Harper’s Filipino heritage fits in well with the Spurs’ longtime embrace of its diverse fan base and history of sporting rosters with international flavor, Nirenberg said.
Spurs guard Dylan Harper, on improving his 3-point shooting: “It was more just being in the gym, more shooting the ball every day really. I feel like if you want to be a good shooter or better than good, great, you kind of have to stay in the gym constantly.” pic.twitter.com/hHFAXXK6XA
— Spurs Nation (@ Spurs_Nation) June 2, 2026
“Over the years, the Spurs have gotten a reputation as being the trailblazers in this regard and to see it celebrated once again, gives me immense pride in what this city stands for and who we are,” Nirenberg said. “It’s not just about basketball.”
The Spurs annually celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion through their various promotional nights, a slate that includes celebrations of the city’s Black, Hispanic, Filipino and LGBTQ communities.
“They really celebrate the diaspora of our community,” Nirenberg said. "And nothing brings together a community like a team that represents it as well as the Spurs do. To see the hard-working culture, the service-oriented culture of San Antonio perfectly represented by an organization that does things the right way, that works hard, has the right values and represents sportsmanship, there is nothing better because that is the image we represent to the world.
“They tell the world who we are.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News