FACT CHECK: PBA legend Jimmy Alapag is not head coach of Sacramento Kings

Claim: Jimmy Alapag, a former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player, is the head coach of the NBA team Sacramento Kings.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim can be found in a January 7 post on the Facebook page “Box Score PH.” The post states: “The Sacramento Kings have won 5 straight games under head coach Jimmy Alapag!”

As of writing, the post has around 47,000 reactions, 3,300 comments, and 592 shares. 

The facts: Doug Christie is currently serving as the Sacramento Kings’ interim head coach after previous head coach Mike Brown was fired following a five-game losing streak. 

Contrary to the claim, Alapag is listed among the Kings’ coaching staff as a Player Development Coach.

As of writing, the Kings have won six games with Christie as interim head coach, with their latest victory being a 114-97 win over the Boston Celtics on January 10 (Saturday, January 11, Manila time).

PBA legend: Alapag has been part of the Sacramento Kings’ coaching staff since August 2023, following a stint as assistant coach of the Stockton Kings, the Sacramento Kings’s affiliate team in the NBA G-League. He has also served in various coaching positions for Gilas Pilipinas and Philippine professional basketball teams.

Alapag moved to the US in 2020 to pursue a coaching career in the NBA following a successful stint as a PBA player. Listed among the 40 Greatest Players in PBA History, Alapag played with the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters from 2003 to 2015 and the Meralco Bolts from 2015 to 2016.

Nicknamed “Mighty Mouse” and “The Captain” during his playing days, Alapag is a six-time PBA champion, the PBA Rookie of the Year in 2003, the PBA Most Valuable Player in 2011, a two-time PBA Finals MVP, a three-time PBA Mythical First Team member, and an 11-time PBA All-Star. – Percival Bueser/ Rappler.com 

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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