Dave Roberts? Jordan Clarkson? You Might Not Know These Athletes Are AAPI
NESN celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month — honoring the impact, influence, and achievements of the Asian community in sports.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are no strangers to North American pro sports.
Although relatively small in number, AAPI athletes have made their mark. From Yao Ming and Kristi Yamaguchi to Troy Polamalu and Chloe Kim, members of the AAPI community have often risen to the pinnacle of their sports.
Their impact extends beyond the obvious, however. In fact, there are many influential sports figures you might not even realize are AAPI.
Dave Roberts
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The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers manager was the first manager of Asian descent to lead a team to the World Series. Before his stint in Chavez Ravine, he played 10 years in MLB, including an unforgettable partial season with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.
Jordan Clarkson
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The 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is part Filipino and represented the Philippines in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and the Philippines, where he has been featured on a postage stamp.
Zach Edey
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The two-time national men’s college basketball player of the year’s maternal grandparents are from China. The Toronto-born big man also is a member of the Canadian national team.
Ron Darling
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The right-handed pitcher, who is of Hawaiian-Chinese descent, was a key piece of the rotation for the New York Mets’ stellar mid-1980s squads. A National League All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Darling went on to an extensive TV broadcasting career.
Kyler Murray
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The list of accomplishments is extensive for Murray, whose grandmother came from South Korea. The Heisman Trophy winner and former No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick has gone to multiple Pro Bowls, and considered going pro in baseball coming out of college.
Tedy Bruschi
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The half-Italian, half-Filipino linebacker was a mainstay of the first half of the New England Patriots dynasty. Bruschi won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and earned the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after suffering a stroke earlier that year.
Hines Ward
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Over the course of his 14-year NFL career, Ward became more vocal about his Korean ancestry. He’s become active both in the U.S. and Seoul, where he was born, as an advocate for mixed-race children like himself. On the field, Ward is one of the greatest wideouts in Pittsburgh Steelers history, and became the first Korean American to win Super Bowl MVP at Super Bowl XL.