By Craig Morgan, thesundevils.com Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Remy Martin wears a wristband during games with the Philippines flag on it. It's a small reminder of the culture that shaped him; a small reminder of the guidance he hopes to pay forward.
"Every time I look at it, all I want to do is help the culture, let people know that there are Filipino basketball players that can play at this level and potentially do more," the Sun Devil freshman guard said. "Every time I step out on that court it's for them. It's for hope. I want to help the kids there be more motivated and see that there is another path."
Martin's mom, Mary Ann Macaspac, emigrated from the Philippines to the United States when she was in high school. Remy grew up Chatsworth, California, where the population is 9.3 percent Filipino.
His mother never forced the culture's values or customs upon him. Martin just absorbed it through daily life.
"We had a monthly gathering, small or big, and it was always somebody's turn to have it at their house," he said. "Everybody would cook, pot luck. There was Chicken Adobo, Pancit, a dessert called Halo-halo, Chicharon, so many things I would try not to put my hands on because I knew I had practice the next day and had to go work out and it would kill me, but it was so good that I took the risk sometimes.
"Being raised in that Filipino household has stuck with me and made me the person I am today. They are so family-oriented. They care for you, they show you love and they are so supportive. That's what I want to be for others."
Martin's dad, Sam, wanted him to play basketball, but the way Martin tells it, that die was already cast.
"My mom would buy bottles for me when I was still drinking milk from a bottle," Martin said. "When she was at work, my nanny would take care of me and she thought my nanny was losing the bottles. She would get mad at my nanny, saying 'I just bought them? Where they at?' They ended up finding them in a basket or a trashcan. I was actually shooting them into a basket and nobody knew about it."
Martin played AAU and high school basketball with Duke's Marvin Bagley III at Sierra Canyon, where Martin averaged 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals his senior year. He chose Arizona State because of the comprehensive support he felt on his two visits, and for the opportunity to learn the point guard position under fiery coach Bobby Hurley, a standout at Duke.
The Sun Devils just opened their season on Friday against Idaho State, a game in which Martin had 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, five assists, four rebounds and a steal, but Hurley already has a good idea what Martin will bring to the table.
"He's just got a great fire and passion and positive energy," Hurley said. "He likes to demoralize the opponent if he can; just wear him down into submission just because of how hard he's willing to play on defense and then create.
"He's special. He can just do things both athletically and with his mind and his desire. Not a lot of young guys have the maturity to do that."
Martin takes pride in his defense, reasoning that it is something that separates him from the crowd.
"I try to capitalize on the little things like playing defense because it's mental and it's mostly heart," he said. "Imagine playing the whole game in front of somebody. Nobody really wants to do that. Everybody wants to get on the offensive side and score, but I learned in high school that defense can change the game, the momentum. Defense can help the team.
"If you want to be successful and achieve your goals you have to do all the little things to get to that goal."
Like most college basketball players, Martin dreams of playing in the NBA, but the motivations behind that dream extend beyond personal glory and riches. Martin has never visited the Philippines, but he ships old clothes and shoes to the island nation to distribute to kids in need.
He hopes to visit the Philippines within the next couple years and he wants to play for the national team in international competitions. If he can achieve that goal, he believes it will open more doors to impact his mom's native land.
"Imagine being LeBron James here and having that kind of impact on kids," he said. "It's about knowing that they have somebody where they can say 'oh, look, we have him. We have somebody that has been through this' and they can follow that. They have (boxer and senator) Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines but why not have more role models?
"They love basketball there but they're not that great at it. I'd love to show them what they need to do, how to be better, just try to be a positive impact in their lives. Obviously, if I make it here that's great, that's the ultimate goal, but just to let them know I'm here for them, step by step, and I'm trying to push this basketball culture further, that's what it's about for me.
"Some of them are pretty good. It's not like the U.S. where there are so many good players, but maybe some of those kids are better than some kids here but nobody knows it. Maybe I can pave the way for those kids to get some exposure. Why not? Why can't I do it? Because I'm small? OK, well, I'll be the first one then."
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Remy Martin wears a wristband during games with the Philippines flag on it. It's a small reminder of the culture that shaped him; a small reminder of the guidance he hopes to pay forward.
"Every time I look at it, all I want to do is help the culture, let people know that there are Filipino basketball players that can play at this level and potentially do more," the Sun Devil freshman guard said. "Every time I step out on that court it's for them. It's for hope. I want to help the kids there be more motivated and see that there is another path."
Martin's mom, Mary Ann Macaspac, emigrated from the Philippines to the United States when she was in high school. Remy grew up Chatsworth, California, where the population is 9.3 percent Filipino.
His mother never forced the culture's values or customs upon him. Martin just absorbed it through daily life.
"We had a monthly gathering, small or big, and it was always somebody's turn to have it at their house," he said. "Everybody would cook, pot luck. There was Chicken Adobo, Pancit, a dessert called Halo-halo, Chicharon, so many things I would try not to put my hands on because I knew I had practice the next day and had to go work out and it would kill me, but it was so good that I took the risk sometimes.
"Being raised in that Filipino household has stuck with me and made me the person I am today. They are so family-oriented. They care for you, they show you love and they are so supportive. That's what I want to be for others."
Martin's dad, Sam, wanted him to play basketball, but the way Martin tells it, that die was already cast.
"My mom would buy bottles for me when I was still drinking milk from a bottle," Martin said. "When she was at work, my nanny would take care of me and she thought my nanny was losing the bottles. She would get mad at my nanny, saying 'I just bought them? Where they at?' They ended up finding them in a basket or a trashcan. I was actually shooting them into a basket and nobody knew about it."
Martin played AAU and high school basketball with Duke's Marvin Bagley III at Sierra Canyon, where Martin averaged 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals his senior year. He chose Arizona State because of the comprehensive support he felt on his two visits, and for the opportunity to learn the point guard position under fiery coach Bobby Hurley, a standout at Duke.
The Sun Devils just opened their season on Friday against Idaho State, a game in which Martin had 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, five assists, four rebounds and a steal, but Hurley already has a good idea what Martin will bring to the table.
"He's just got a great fire and passion and positive energy," Hurley said. "He likes to demoralize the opponent if he can; just wear him down into submission just because of how hard he's willing to play on defense and then create.
"He's special. He can just do things both athletically and with his mind and his desire. Not a lot of young guys have the maturity to do that."
Martin takes pride in his defense, reasoning that it is something that separates him from the crowd.
"I try to capitalize on the little things like playing defense because it's mental and it's mostly heart," he said. "Imagine playing the whole game in front of somebody. Nobody really wants to do that. Everybody wants to get on the offensive side and score, but I learned in high school that defense can change the game, the momentum. Defense can help the team.
"If you want to be successful and achieve your goals you have to do all the little things to get to that goal."
Like most college basketball players, Martin dreams of playing in the NBA, but the motivations behind that dream extend beyond personal glory and riches. Martin has never visited the Philippines, but he ships old clothes and shoes to the island nation to distribute to kids in need.
He hopes to visit the Philippines within the next couple years and he wants to play for the national team in international competitions. If he can achieve that goal, he believes it will open more doors to impact his mom's native land.
"Imagine being LeBron James here and having that kind of impact on kids," he said. "It's about knowing that they have somebody where they can say 'oh, look, we have him. We have somebody that has been through this' and they can follow that. They have (boxer and senator) Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines but why not have more role models?
"They love basketball there but they're not that great at it. I'd love to show them what they need to do, how to be better, just try to be a positive impact in their lives. Obviously, if I make it here that's great, that's the ultimate goal, but just to let them know I'm here for them, step by step, and I'm trying to push this basketball culture further, that's what it's about for me.
"Some of them are pretty good. It's not like the U.S. where there are so many good players, but maybe some of those kids are better than some kids here but nobody knows it. Maybe I can pave the way for those kids to get some exposure. Why not? Why can't I do it? Because I'm small? OK, well, I'll be the first one then."