This broadcast segment surprised me when it described basketball superstar Luka Doncic doing “that Pinoy step.” I looked up it up, and people have been talking about it and even doing instructional videos on it for a few years now. Wikipedia actually describes it in a page. The Pinoy step is something quintessentially Asian American on different levels.
First, what is the Pinoy step? It is a basketball move related to the Euro step. Basketball players are allowed two steps after stopping their dribble. The Pinoy Step, involves doing a pump fake on the first step, and then following through to do a layup or dunk on the second step. Smaller players can use it to get around bigger defenders, especially if they can get the defender in the air.
Second, why is it named the Pinoy Step? Two parts to answer that question. The move itself is attributed to Filipino basketball player Kiefer Ravena. The step’s utility was so great that it spread across the world. Where did the word Pinoy come from? First usages of the word, which is an affectionate nickname for Filipinos, originated in the US in the early 20th century. Carlos Bulosan used it in his classic book American is in the Heart. Pinoy then became widely used in the Philippines.
So why do I consider the Pinoy step something so fundamentally Asian American? Not unlike the food chain Jollibee, the Pinoy step started with something from the America (basketball and the name Pinoy). These then became changed and popular in Asia and came back to the US.
