Four years after a winless campaign in China, the Philippines will try to redeem itself at home by putting together a team that includes NBA star Jordan Clarkson.
Expectations are high for Clarkson to carry Gilas Pilipinas to a better finish in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, understandably given his profile as a prolific scorer (he averaged 20.8 points per game for the Utah Jazz in the 2022-2023 NBA season) and a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2020-2021).
Ahead of the World Cup, Clarkson scored the most points for the Philippines in friendly games against Ivory Coast (13 points) and Montenegro (27 points).
But basketball being a team sport, the Gilas naturalized player will need some help.
Gilas Pilipinas will take on the Dominican Republic on opening day, August 25, at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, followed by matches at the Smart Araneta Coliseum against Angola (August 27) and Italy (August 29).
Clarkson is determined to show the world that the Philippines will move past the group stage and make a strong case for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I think we’ve got a good chance to do some things; hopefully we’ll win some games,” the 31-year-old Filipino-American told reporters after arriving in Manila on August 8.
It will be Clarkson’s first time playing at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was part of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that placed fifth in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
The 6-foot-5 guard, who once played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers, will mark his 10th NBA season in 2024.
Clarkson signed a multi-year contract extension with the Jazz in July.
