Fomer Gilas Pilipinas star Jimmy Alapag was an active figure on the sidelines for the Sacramento Kings’ NBA Summer League team.
The Sacramento Kings’ 2025 NBA Summer League team was in the news recently after reports surfaced about Kevin Quiambao possibly playing for them in the Las Vegas summer league tournament. While KQ didn’t make the roster, another Filipino basketball personality – Kings assistant Jimmy Alapag – was right in the middle of the action as the team surged to a second-place finish with a 5-1 record.
Jimmy posted about his Summer League experience on Instagram.
“Another Summer League in the 📚 (books),” he said in the caption. “Blessed to work with another great group of young players. The work continues.. 🏁🙏🏼 #NBA #VegasSummerLeague #Kings #SacTown
It was like a full-circle moment for the former Gilas Pilipinas star. Alapag has been with the Kings full-time since 2021, when he was appointed assistant coach of the team’s G-League affiliate Stockton Kings. But he actually got his start with the organization in 2019 when, upon invitation from Vlade Divac, he got a short-term gig an assistant coach with the Kings’ Summer League team that year.
Alapag rejoined the team for the 2021 Summer League, and they went on to win the title. Shortly afterwards, he joined the Stockton Kings under head coach Bobby Jackson. Before the 2023-24 NBA season, Alapag was promoted to the Sacramento Kings’ coaching staff as player development coach under head coach Mike Brown.
Brown was fired in the middle of last season and replaced by Doug Christie, who retained Jimmy as player development coach for the coming NBA season.
Kings assistant Dipesh Mistry handled the team’s Summer League squad this year, with Jimmy as one of his assistants. Another familiar face has rejoined the team as Jackson made a return after a stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Kings, led by All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, have reason to be optimistic for the coming season. Rookie Nique Clifford, who was born a year before Alapag debuted in the PBA, put on a strong showing in Summer League and appears ready to contribute right away. And aside from Jackson, Christie beefed up his coaching staff by adding Leandro Barbosa, Mike Miller and Chris Darnell.
While Erik Spoelstra is undoubtedly the biggest Filipino name in NBA coaching circles, Jimmy Alapag is slowly and steadily also making a name for himself. The fact that he has remained on the Kings organization through three different head coaches simply shows that he has the coaching chops, discipline and professionalism needed to stay in the world’s biggest basketball league.
Banner images from Jimmy Alapag’s Instagram