The NBA on Tuesday finally gave its green light allowing Cleveland Cavaliers’ shooting guard Jordan Clarkson play for the Philippine Team in the 2018 Asian Games.
The announcement was made by Richard Gomez, the Philippines’ Chef de Mission to the quadrennial meet.
“The NBA gave the nod allowing JC to play at the AG. We will have to plead to INASGOC (Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee) for his reentry to play. JC will take the earliest flight available to Jakarta to make to our game against Kazakhstan,” said Gomez.
The request of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas to have Clarkson play for the Philippine team was initially turned down by the league as the Asian Games was not included in the NBA’s agreement with world governing body FIBA that allows NBA players to take part in the Olympics, the FIBA World Cup and continental cup competitions.
Following the suspension of 10 players and two coaches as a penalty for its participation in a brawl with the Australia Boomers during a July 1 FIBA World Cup Basketball Qualifier at the Philippine Arena, the Philippines had originally withdrawn from the Asiad men’s basketball tournament.
But pressure from fans had the SBP making a U-turn, hastily assembling a team built around the nucleus of professional team Rain or Shine and including Clarkson in the 12-man roster.
The INASGOC allowed the inclusion of the Fil-American and the SBP was also able to get the approval of Clarkson’s Cleveland team, but the NBA turned down the request, only to relent yesterday following criticism from SBP officials, who raised questions on why Zhou Qi of Houston Rockets is included in China’s roster to the Asiad.
NBA players were also cleared to play in the Pan American Games, like Canada’s Andrew Nicholson in 2015.
The Philippine national team, which left for Indonesia Sunday, is bracketed with China and Kazakhstan in Group D. They will face Kazakhstan on Thursday.
A 2014 second-round draftee of the Washington Wizards, Clarkson has an NBA career average of 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists, most of them during a spell at the Los Angeles Lakers.