WHO would not be proud?
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio yesterday heaped praises on Fil-Am guard Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz, who was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
“In his short and sweet stint with Gilas Pilipinas, Jordan Clarkson showed us not only his world-class talent but also gave us a glimpse of the hard work and dedication necessary to get to that level,” Panlilio said in a statement.
“Getting a front-row look at Jordan during the Asian Games made us all believers that he will accomplish great things in the NBA,” he added.
The 6-foot-5 Clarkson averaged a career-high 18.4 points, to go with 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season, coming off Utah’s bench in 67 of 68 matches.
Those numbers and efforts were aptly rewarded as Clarkson received 65 first-place votes and earned 407 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters to become the first Jazz player to win the plum.
Clarkson, 28, saw action for the Yeng Guiao-mentored Philippine five in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games after he was given the green light by the NBA and the Cleveland Cavaliers, his team then, on a one-time exception.
