Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (Photo : Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports/ REUTERS)
Jordan Clarkson will be making his second visit in Manila on Monday, and this time, he will be spending few hours watching the Philippine men's basketball team train for the upcoming FIBA Asia Championship.
ABS-CBN reported that Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas invited Clarkson to attend Gilas Pilipinas training session on Monday at Meralco Gym after returning from a four-team joust in Estonia.
"According to the SBP, Clarkson "has signified his desire to be part" of the Gilas Pilipinas national team. Clarkson, whose mother Annette was born in Angeles, Pampanga, will be invited to observe the national team's practices in Manila and thereafter in Taipei later this month, where Gilas will compete in the William Jones Cup," via ABS-CBN.
The 23-year old Clarkson has expressed his interest to suit up for the Philippine team in international hoops competition, but he's declared ineligible by FIBA because he did not secure a Philippine Passport before the age of 16.
The Missouri Tigers product averaged 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, earning him All-Rookie first team honor at the end of the season.
Although it's unlikely Clarkson will don the Philippine's colors in international competition for a foreseeable future, there's a possibility he might eventually play for the basketball-crazy country down the road, especially with FIBA considering to shift to a FIFA-liked kind of qualification for the 2019 World Cup. If this kind of system pushes through, the Hagop Rule could be amended, allowing high-caliber players who did not get passport before they turned 16 to finally play at FIBA Asia and other FIBA-sanctioned competitions.
If the Hagop Rule stays, the Philippine's remaining option is to naturalize Norwood, which head coach Tab Baldwin believes a much easier process since the Lakers star has Filipino blood.
Update: According to Spin.ph, a source close to situation told the news site that Clarkson, contrary to previous reports, has been a holder of a Philippine passport.
"Highly placed sources said Clarkson, whose mother Annette traces her roots to Angeles, Pampanga, has long been a holder of a Philippine passport."
"Another source confirmed to Spin.ph that Clarkson was already holding a Philippine passport when he passed through immigration during his brief visit to the country last May - a detail SBP officials were not aware of until then," according to Spin.ph.
If the report is true and it is later found out that he secured a Philippine passport before he turned 16, Clarkson is therefore eligible to join the Philippine team for the FIBA Asia Championship, which serves as an Olympic qualifier for Asian countries.
The 6-foot-5 Clarkson would be a big boost for the RP team that has been ravaged by injuries and withdrawals from players who were part of the previous Gilas program.
