Half-Viet David Arnold gets back to his Vietnamese roots through basketball playing for Saigon Heat

David Arnold always wanted to explore his Vietnamese heritage. He is now getting a chance to do so through basketball.

“The fans are crazy excited,” he said. “It feels good that they’ve accepted me.”

Arnold, getting ready for his first professional season, has seemingly become the “face” of the Saigon Heat, Vietnam’s first-ever international professional basketball team. Since moving to Saigon in January, the former ThunderRidge High School standout has played with the Heat’s “D” squad against local competition to prepare for the regular season.

“The locals are behind but play hard and learn fast,” he said. “It’s a dirty, physical game.”

Saigon is one of six teams in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), a Southeast Asian pro circuit that tips off its fifth season July 19.

David Arnold, right, from ThunderRidge High School, drives against Fairview’s Travis Shepherd during the The Show all-star game in 2009. (Andy Cross, Denver Post file)

Arnold, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound shooting guard, did well enough this spring that the Heat began promoting him on its website,saigonheat.com, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. This despite the fact he “hates pictures,” has not yet played an ABL game and would prefer attention go to his teammates — who have affectionately given him a Vietnamese name, “Viet Nguyen.”

Playing and living in Vietnam is a dream come true for Arnold, 23, who completed his collegiate eligibility at Montana State a year ago.

Growing up, he had limited exposure to Vietnamese culture. His mother, Mai, emigrated from Vietnam when she was 8, and much of her side of the family still resides overseas.

“Me and my brothers always talked about going to Vietnam and playing for the Olympic team,” he said. “I’ve always been curious.”

When Arnold finished his collegiate career, his father, Daron, began exploring options for his son to play pro ball.

During an online search, his father discovered the ABL and soon after reached out to the Heat’s general manager. ABL teams are limited in how many foreign players they can have on the roster, but a roster spot is allowed for a “heritage” player — a foreign athlete with a parent who was born in Southeast Asia.

David Arnold, front middle, and the Saigon Heat’s “D” squad pose for a photo. (Provided by the Saigon Heat basketball team)

For Arnold, it didn’t matter that he didn’t understand the language or know much about the Vietnamese culture. He would get to continue playing basketball and learn about his roots.

“As long as I got ball, I’m good,” he said.

“So this was a dream trip, even if it wasn’t to go over there to play,” his father said. “He’s jumped in with both feet.”

Arnold’s goal is to take this opportunity as far as he can.

“Make the most of it, because not a lot of people get to be a part of grassroots basketball,” said Arnold, a 2009 All-Colorado guard by The Denver Post. “This could turn out to be special and basketball could take off.”

Since moving to Vietnam in January, he has connected with his mom’s side of the family and has been working on learning the language. He has also volunteered to help promote basketball at elementary schools.

“The kids pretty much mobbed me,” he said. “They knew nothing about me — the fact that I was from America was huge.”

Joe Nguyen: jnguyen@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joenguyen

Joe Nguyen: jnguyen@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joenguyen

via David Arnold gets back to his Vietnamese roots through basketball – The Denver Post.