After coming to an arrangement with the national team’s leadership, Jordan Clarkson will be in the Philippines team’s internment camp on August 6.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, head coach Chot Reyes stated: “This is actually extremely excellent news for us. Jordan has been a member of this team from the start. However, due to some personal matters, the 31-year-old player would be unable to take part in the Philippine team’s tour of China from August 2 to 6. In the context of friendlies in Manila, he will be able to catch up with his teammates before to the competition.
Jordan Clarkson is only qualified to join the nation’s national team as a naturalized player, despite having Filipino ancestry. The defensive player for the Utah Jazz is ineligible for FIBA since he received a Philippine passport after turning 16 years old.
Therefore, the co-host of the 2023 FIBA World Cup finals can only sign a naturalization contract to play for Clarkson.
At the 2018 Asian Games, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year made his Gilas Pilipinas debut and contributed to their fifth-place result. He is a prominent international NBA player who will play for his nation in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Along with Jordan Clarkson, Kai Sotto is another intriguing name that Filipino fans are eagerly anticipating. The 2023 NBA Summer League back ιnjury sustained by the 2m20 striker is still bothering him.
However, on July 25, Kai Sotto was still spotted at a team practice. This talented striker’s absence will be a huge blσw for Gilas Pilipinas. Due to his extraordinary height of 2m20 and exceptional skill set, Kai Sotto is regarded as a rare basketball prodigy in the Philippines.
With an average of 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 6.3 blocks per game, he helped his team win the UAAP championship at the age of 15 and was named MVP. Sotto was still the MVP the following season, averaging 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per contest.
