Source: theundefeated.com

James Borrego pushed through a barrier when the Charlotte Hornets named him the first Hispanic full-time head coach in NBA history. The former San Antonio Spurs assistant coach’s family is of Mexican descent and three generations removed from arriving in the United States, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The 40-year-old Borrego grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has previously said basketball helped him connect with kids from other cultures. Perhaps Borrego’s hiring could spark more Hispanics to get involved in basketball, as players decreased from 6.3 percent in 2015-16 to 4.9 percent during the 2016-17 season, according to the 2017 Racial and Gender Report Card: National Basketball Association. Erik Spoelstra became the NBA’s first Asian-American head coach when the Miami Heat promoted him from assistant coach in 2008. The Boston Celtics named Bill Russell the first black coach in the NBA in 1966.