Spurs assistant coach James Borrego made history this week, joining the Charlotte Hornets as the first Hispanic full-time head coach in the NBA.
Mitch Kupchak, president of the Hornets, introduced him to the media on Friday.
"There were so many boxes that we felt needed to be checked when looking for the new head coach of this organization, and we felt James checked all of the boxes, Kupchak said. "I think his ability to communicate with the fans, our players most importantly, myself and staff is just off the charts."
Borrego addressed the biggest challenges he see with the Hornets.
"I come out of a program where we move the ball a little bit more. The shooting numbers were solid last year, but we want that number to go up. "I think we want to move that three-point line, that three-point volume, up and those are two things we’ll be focused on.”
Longtime San Antonio high school basketball coaches Rudy Bernal and John Valenzuela, both of whom led teams to the UIL state tournament twice, called Borrego’s hiring a seminal moment for Hispanics and the NBA. They also praised Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for creating a culture that promotes diversity within the organization.
“I think it’s exciting for Hispanic coaches all over the place,” Bernal said. “[Borrego’s] hiring is definitely an inspiration. It lets guys know that it’s another possibility that hasn’t been a possibility. It makes it exciting for the young Hispanic coaches coming up.
Born and raised in Albuquerque, N.M., Borrego started his NBA career as an assistant video coordinator with the Spurs in the summer of 2003. He was an assistant coach on the franchise’s 2005 and 2007 championship teams and left San Antonio in 2010 to take the same job with the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) in Williams' first season with the franchise.
Borrego moved to Orlando in 2012 to join former Spur Jacque Vaughn’s staff as an assistant coach. He was named interim coach in February 2015 after Vaughn was fired.
Borrego was the second Hispanic interim head coach in NBA history, following Laredo native Kaleb Canales, who coached the Portland Trail Blazers for 23 games after Nate McMillan was fired in March 2012. Canales has been an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks since 2013.
“I love the fact that Borrego is the first Hispanic head coach in the NBA, but he had to sharpen his teeth in a great dynasty. And he did. He learned a lot and he grew a lot. I’m just glad that there are people of different nationalities that are taking their skill level and they’re raising it to where they’re getting hired not because of their skin color, but because of their qualifications," Valenzuela said.
Asked what young Hispanic coaches can take from Borrego’s climb to a head-coaching job in the NBA, Valenzuela said: “What I hope it means is the door is open. People are judging you by the content of your character and the ability and the skills that you’ve been given. But you have to work at it. So now, if you don’t get hired it’s not because of your skin color.
“There’s a greater responsibility to go, 'You know what? I can work hard and do everything I can to better myself.' And there’s no ceiling. It’s up to that individual now. OK, so you want to live the American dream? Here it is. Go work your tail off. Go get in the right networks and get in the right connections, and who knows? The door will open. It’s on every individual to have that equal opportunity.”