FIL-AM Jordan Clarkson seemed to be a sure choice as the naturalized player for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup in August — being a bona fide NBA player of the Utah Jazz who was the league’s Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago.
But not too fast, according to national coach Chot Reyes, who maintained the spot is still up in the air, especially with how new naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee proved his worth in the sixth and final window of the World Cup Asian qualifiers.
“With Justin’s performance, there’s little to say. You all saw how effective he is and how well he played,” Reyes said. “As regards to who the naturalized player is, Justin has always known that he makes himself available to whatever is required by the team.
“If we need someone to play in specific tournaments, someone to play as a back-up for Jordan Clarkson, he is willing to play that role,” he added.
Clarkson, Brownlee, 6-foot-11 Ange Kouame, and even the locals have to show they have what it takes.
“There are no shoo-ins in the team. There’s no one with the lock. That goes for everyone,” Reyes said. “Right now, there are no shoo-ins. That goes for all the local players and even the naturalized players.”
The 6-foot-5 Clarkson averaged 25 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in a loss to Lebanon and a win over Saudi Arabia in the fourth window last August.
Brownlee was good for 29 points, eight rebounds, and four assists as the Philippine five wound up its Asian qualifiers campaign with a 107-96 victory over Lebanon and a sorry 90-91 defeat to Jordan last Sunday night.
The February window was actually a no-bearing qualifiers since the Philippines has qualified for the world cage spectacle as co-hosts with Japan and Indonesia.
Kouame saw action for the Filipino cagers in three games and normed 4.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Reyes is still hoping the FIBA will allow Clarkson to suit up as a local for Gilas– although with guarded optimism.
“I believe in miracles. But they (FIBA) already said categorically, no,” he said. “If there is a miracle, that’s the best situation for us. But for now, we are planning as if it’s a no. Right now, it’s a no. We have to plan accordingly.”
