Asian American NBA stars are lighting up the conference finals

Three of the four teams currently battling it out in the NBA conference finals feature players of Asian American heritage, placing Filipino American guards Jordan Clarkson, Jared McCain and Dylan Harper alongside Vietnamese American forward Jaylin Williams on one of basketball’s biggest stages.

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs both opened their series with Game 1 victories this week, with Clarkson contributing off the bench in New York’s 115-104 win over Cleveland while Harper delivered one of the most statistically dominant conference finals debuts in NBA history against Oklahoma City.

Clarkson’s role has shifted throughout New York’s playoff run, but the veteran guard has remained a reliable bench presence on a Knicks roster built around stars such as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. His scoring opportunities have been more limited during the conference finals, though his experience and second-unit playmaking continue to give New York depth as the team pushes toward the NBA Finals.

During a recent episode of Uninterrupted’s “Off Day,” Clarkson visited Filipino-owned businesses across New York while reflecting on his connection to his heritage. “My grandma was from the Philippines. I came into the league, learning about my own culture, my own people,” Clarkson said. “Filipinos are the happiest people I’ve ever been around and met.”

Clarkson also tied that identity to his family and daughter. “It’s super important to carry my grandma, my mom, my little brothers, my little sisters, my daughter to know that she has some Filipino in her as well,” he said. “That this is celebrated and a culture that we are a part of.”

Harper stepped into San Antonio’s starting lineup for Game 1 after De’Aaron Fox was sidelined by injury and quickly became one of the biggest stories of the conference finals. The rookie guard finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals and six assists in the Spurs’ 122-115 win over Oklahoma City. Harper, who turned 20 in March, became the first player since Larry Bird to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in a conference finals game.

Harper’s seven steals also marked the most ever by a rookie in a conference finals game as he helped pressure Oklahoma City’s backcourt alongside Victor Wembanyama, who added three blocks protecting the rim. Earlier this season during the Spurs’ Filipino Heritage Night, Harper spoke about representing his mother’s side of the family and grandparents.

“I think for me, the biggest thing of why it’s so special to me in that we’re representing the Filipino heritage, just because that’s where my mom came from, my grandparents,” Harper said. “It’s my mom’s side of the family, so I just want to represent them everywhere I can.”

Oklahoma City’s conference finals run has also featured two Asian American players in its rotation following McCain’s arrival from Philadelphia earlier this season. While the Thunder’s core remains centered around this year’s MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander alongside Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, McCain has carved out a role as an energetic reserve guard capable of supplying instant offense and secondary playmaking off the bench.

McCain finished with 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 18 minutes during Oklahoma City’s Game 1 loss to San Antonio. He has continued to draw attention from Filipino basketball fans online throughout the postseason, particularly after publicly embracing his Filipino roots when he entered the league in 2024. “It’s definitely cool just to be a part of a community,” McCain said. “If they allow me to claim it, I will claim that.”

Williams, meanwhile, has become a fan favorite among Vietnamese and Asian American NBA followers since becoming the league’s first player of Vietnamese descent after being drafted by Oklahoma City in 2022. The forward contributed 3 rebounds and defensive minutes in Game 1 while continuing to provide frontcourt depth during the Thunder’s playoff run.

During last year’s NBA Finals appearance, Williams spoke about wanting to strengthen his connection to his Vietnamese heritage and eventually visit Vietnam. “My grandmama on my mom’s side is a little small Vietnamese lady. You can barely understand her English. My mom, she knows a little bit of Vietnamese. We ate Vietnamese food all the time. We ate a lot of pho,” Williams said.