Jordan Clarkson has expressed his desire to play for the Philippines’ national basketball team for the 2016 Olympics. Clarkson, whose mother is from the Philippines, has been spending time there and has even practiced with the national team. The Basketball Association of the Philippines released the following statement in regards to the situation:
“I want to assure my Filipino brothers and sisters that, if given the chance and everything can be worked out, I sincerely wish to play for Gilas and contribute to the total team effort for flag and country.”
The second-year guard showed lots of promise as a rookie for the Lakers last season. He would be a huge addition to the Philippines’ national team if he is indeed able to join them. There are some complications due to citizenship issues and the fact that the Philippines already has a naturalized citizen on the team in Andray Blatche (FIBA only allows one naturalized citizen per country).
For his part, Clarkson has shown lots of interest in traveling to his home country and becoming ingrained in its culture. He seems to be very intrigued by the idea of playing for their national team and if FIBA allows him, there is no reason why he should not make the roster. Let’s just hope he does not insult Manny Pacquiao while he’s there.
