NBA star Jordan Clarkson will don Philippine jersey at 2023 FIBA World Cup
By Bryan Ke
NBA star Jordan Clarkson, who currently plays for the Utah Jazz as a shooting and point guard, will compete with the Philippine national team at this year’s FIBA World Cup.
Key details: Al Panlilio, president of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the Philippines’ national sports association for basketball, confirmed Clarkson’s addition to the national team on Tuesday.
“It’s a good day for Philippine basketball. With Jordan Clarkson on board, the SBP looks forward to a competitive showing against the best in our region,” Panlilio told Spin.ph.
Meanwhile, Filipino sports analyst Quinito Henson tweeted that the 31-year-old Filipino American NBA star will play for Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippines’ men’s national basketball team, as its only naturalized player at the FIBA World Cup.
Limited time for practice: The Utah Jazz star will reportedly be joining his team on Aug. 6, less than three weeks before the Gilas’ game against the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in the Philippine province of Bulacan on Aug. 25.
Gilas coach Chot Reyes previously argued that it would be better if Clarkson arrived in the Philippines much sooner, but Clarkson’s camp noted that the amount of time between his arrival and the beginning of the FIBA World Cup is more than enough considering his experience in basketball, Spin.ph reported.
His reaction: Florida-born Clarkson, whose mother is Filipino, celebrated the news with a Facebook post showing his daughter wearing a jacket with the colors of the Philippine flag.
“Always ready to cheer for Daddy! Let’s get it 2023 FIBA World Cup!” Clarkson wrote.
Not the first time: Clarkson’s upcoming games with the Gilas will not be his first, as the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award winner had previously played with the national team to compete at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
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