For some, basketball is either a hobby or a profession.

But for Eric Altamirano, it’s a vocation.

The 57-year-old Altamirano is using basketball as a vehicle to harness boys into fine gentlemen. Through his National Basketball Training Center (NBTC), he developed the skills and shape the future of countless of local and international basketball stars, including Kiefer Ravena, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, SJ Belangel, Dave Ildefonso, RJ Abarrientos and Migs Oczon.

Even Jalen Green — yes, the high-flying Filipino-American swingman — saw action in the annual NBTC National Finals before being taken with the second overall pick of the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association Rookie Draft in 2021.

Altamirano admitted that the program, which continues to attract hundreds of young men who are looking to use basketball as a ticket to a better future, has a humble beginning.

“We went around the country, we were like Harlem Globetrotters and played against the local selection of each city,” said Altamirano, admitting that he got the idea of launching a nationwide grassroots basketball program while playing with the San Miguel Corporation All-Star team in 2004.

“In the morning, we would do basketball clinics and there we saw the need for grassroots basketball.”

Forming the NBTC

In 2005, Altamirano turned his touring team into Coach E Basketball School, where basketball skills are being taught depending on their levels.

“Coach E is really about teaching basketball the right way. There’s a grading system there and when you are ready, you level up to the higher grade,” Altamirano, who has a penchant for teaching since he was still playing for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons until becoming a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) mentor.

A year later, Altamirano and former PBA player Alex Compton managed the Nike Elite Camp at Brent School in Mamplasan, Laguna.

“It’s a six-day in-house camp. So, what we do is, we go around the country and then we identify the best 80 high school players,” Altamirano said.

“We try to prepare them for a higher level of competition. We then select one to five players for the All Asia Camp in China to represent the Philippines.”

Despite kicking off one of the best grassroots basketball organizations at that time, Altamirano still feels that there’s something missing.

“We thought that there has to be a program that we can do long term. Where we can handle the players and guide them until they become professional players,” Altamirano said.

Upon the green light from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), Altamirano plotted a grassroots program that aims to comb various provinces for quality talents. The program later became the NBTC, giving Altamirano the distinction as the father of grassroots basketball in 2007.

“MVP, sir Manny Pangilinan, asked me to come up with a comprehensive grassroots program. I thought about it and ultimately, the NBTC started there. He approved it and so did the SBP board,” Altamirano said.

“At first, people were skeptical about the program since they thought the NBTC was a recruitment program that would take away the province’s players to Manila.”

“Eventually, they realized that the NBTC not only enhances the players’ skills but gives their schools exposure. They were given a platform to compete against other strong teams in the Philippines.”

Jalen vs Kai

The NBTC grew tremendously with the best and brightest high school players from various parts of the country getting massive exposure.

But the arrival of a high-flying Filipino-American in Green and his rivalry with Sotto turned the program into one of the most highly-anticipated in the country. In fact, the photo of Green dunking over the 7-foot-3 Sotto landed on the pages of major newspapers and became the talk of the town in the years to come.

Soon, Sotto got an offer to train in the US that also sent him to Australia and Japan while Green went on to become one of the rising stars in the NBA.

“When we started inviting international teams, first, it started with three countries: The United States, Canada and Australia. Then we expanded with teams from New Zealand, Italy and the United Arab Emirates,” Altamirano said.

“Jalen Green’s arrival left a huge impact for us. It showed that the NBTC can not only just play in the NBA but also here in the Philippines.”

We wanted to involve as many players, as many coaches, as many schools, as many club teams as possible.”

With that, almost all of the country’s brightest stars became part of the NBTC. Even Kevin Quiambao — the reigning Most Valuable Player in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines — played in the NBTC, turning him from a trigger-happy cager into a matured, PBA-ready forward.

Altamirano said he is happy seeing the former NBTC players showcasing their talents around the world.

“We wanted to create a platform where itong mga aspiring players will be able to reach their dream, right? And, you know, be discovered,be exposed to a high level of competition, and prepare them for a career in basketball,” said Altamirano, whose house served as the sanctuary of future basketball stars like Troy Rosario and LA Revilla that gave him the moniker as “Coach E” for treating the players as if they are his own children.

“Even if they didn’t get much success in their careers, at least we were able to help them get a good education.”

Family business

The NBTC program is far from done.

This year, the NBTC featured future superstars like Jared Bahay of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and Kieffer Alas of De La Salle-Zobel.

Now, Bahay will see action for Ateneo de Manila University while Alas will play his last year of high school in the United States.

But what makes running the program enjoyable for Altamirano is having his wife, Marissa, and son, Anton, helping him.

“My wife oversees the administration for NBTC and Anton is our special project head,” said Altamirano, who acknowledged the support of the local government units in the NBTC.

“So the program is family-oriented and I’m very blessed to have people behind me, supporting me, and also helping me innovate or make NBTC a world-class event.”

Altamirano also thanks their corporate sponsors like SM Malls and Smart Sports in helping the NBTC reach greater heights.

“NBTC thrives on sponsorship. We are thankful for the companies that believed in the vision of the NBTC. Really, it’s really about the kids. It’s all about fulfilling the dreams of these kids, no and one of them is Smart,” Altamirano said.

“SM, all throughout, was there courtesy of (SM Prime Holdings executive committee chairman) Mr. Hans Sy. He really believed in the program and he’s been fully supporting it.”

Getting a passion project to work will always have its challenges but Altamirano believes in holding on and having faith in God will go a long way.

“Continue believing. Don’t lose hope. Lift up to God whatever your plans are. They say many are the plans in a man’s heart but it’s the Lord’s purpose that will always prevail,” Altamirano said.

“You need to persevere. It’s not a bed of roses. You have to strive hard.”