WILL Filipino-American sensation Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers be eligible to play for Smart Gilas Pilipinas in next month’s Fiba-Asia tournament in China?
And with NBA (National Basketball Association) duty just around the corner, can he get clearance from the Lakers to be part of the Philippine team? Certainly, the Lakers guard is what the country really needs to make the national team highly competitive and regain the glory the Philippines once enjoyed in Asian basketball.
Having Clarkson and former NBA player and naturalised Filipino Andray Blatche with the team would make the country an instant title contender against the likes of Iran, China and South Korea for the 2015 Fiba Asia Championship title. The Filipinos are hoping to win the Fiba Asia crown to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 44 years.
Clarkson, who is accompanying the team to the ongoing William Jones Cup in Taiwan, participated in light drills with the Philippine team last week.
The Philippines, which will use the invitational meet as part of their preparations for the upcoming Fiba Asia Championship, will try to win the title again after a two-year absence.
The 23-year-old Clarkson has reiterated his desire and willingness to play for the Philippine team should he become eligible, promising to cooperate whole-heartedly with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) in its efforts to complete his papers.
This is despite his American father, Mike Clarkson, declaring that the timing is bad for a run with the Philippine national team this year as the Fiba Asia tournament will conflict with preparations for his second NBA season.
Selected 46th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Clarkson is under contract for 2015-2016 for a non-guaranteed $845,059. The NBA season begins October 27.
The 6-foot-5 Clarkson, who was born in Florida but raised in San Antonio, Texas, averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds a game during the 2014-15 NBA season.
Earlier this week, the SBP sent shockwaves through the Asian basketball landscape when it revealed that Clarkson, whose mother is Filipina, had fulfilled the basic eligibility prerequisite to play for a country as a dual citizen by having a Philippine passport before the age of 16.
In fact, upon learning that Clarkson owns a Philippine passport, SBP immediately placed Clarkson in the 24-man player roster, which it sent to the Fiba for the Fiba-Asia tiff in hopes to get the world basketball body approve and declare Clarkson’s eligibility.
Should the Fiba recognise Clarkson, there will be no need for the country to naturalise the NBA player since he was born to a Filipina mother. At present, the SBP and Clarkson are working together to file the necessary documents to convince the Fiba that Clarkson is eligible to play for the country.
Under Fiba rules, a player would be eligible to play for its home country if he or she has secured a passport before turning 16 years old. With a letter of permission already sent out by the SBP to Fiba, it will only be a matter of time whether Fiba’s sanctioning body will approve or deny SBPs’ request to have Clarkson play for the Philippine team in the Asian tournament.
With Fiba approval for his eligibility still pending and the NBA season coming up, it will still be a long way to go and it certainly gonna be difficult. Yet we are still hoping for the best, that is for Clarkson to be eligible to play for flag and country.
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