MANILA – Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson is more than excited. He will finally be playing for Gilas Pilipinas when it takes on China in the 2018 Asian Games on Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Clarkson, who will be the Filipino delegation’s flag bearer in the Asian Games opening today, said he is looking forward to play for the Philippine team after being denied several times the past three years.
“I’m excited and I’m ready for the games. I’m very excited to know that I’m finally getting to do this, being able to play with my team and for the country. It’s definitely something I’ve been looking forward to,” said Clarkson.
“I feel the support, the love all the time (of the Filipinos). It’s a dream come true for me to be able to play (in Gilas),” added Clarkson. “My grandma is real proud I’m able to do this now.”
Clarkson said he is excited to play along with his Gilas teammates after seeing their in Philippines’ 96-59 annihilation of Kazakhstan on Thursday noon at the Gelora Bung Karno Basketball Hall.
“(The team) is really good, fast, get up and down, shoot threes, fun style of play,” he said. “There’s a lot of dribble drive, a lot of movement, ball screen, so I feel right into it. It was easy to pick up for me.”
“We got a few days of practice before the next game. I have to get used to how they do things here,” he added. “It’s a big game (versus China). We try to get the win every time we step on the floor so we just come here to compete and try to win.”
Clarkson nearly did not make it to the Asian Games after being earlier denied by the NBA but it was reconsidered last Wednesday following by an appeal made by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and Philippine Olympic Committee./PN
