CAN Jordan Clarkson play for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 Fiba World Cup?
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is in no way giving up on that hope. The national federation in fact continues to fight for the case of the Utah Jazz gunner.
"We continue to press it," SBP president Al Panlilio told Radyo5's Power and Play with Noli Eala.
Without question, Clarkson can give the Philippines a big boost in the global conclave especially after a standout season that earned him an NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
The Fil-American guard has only suited up for the national team once in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, where the country ended up at fifth place. The Asiad has less-stringent rules as Fiba tournaments.
It's not just Clarkson, though, that SBP is fighting for as the local status of other Fil-foreign talents who were previously ruled as naturalized players like Stanley Pringle and Christian Standhardinger are also under appeal.
Glimmer of hope
And his confidence stems from talks of other nations getting leeways in terms of having players allowed to play as locals despite acquiring their passports past the age of 16 - a contentious Fiba requirement.
"We have gotten some info na may passports na nakuha beyond 16 years old and we want to understand what happened there. We're looking at other situations that might aid us," he said.
One of the instances Panlilio may be looking at was the status of Indonesian-American Brandon Jawato, who was granted local status by Fiba in November last year and allowed to play for Timnas.
"At the end of the day, [Clarkson and Co.] are Filipinos so we continue to push our justification to Fiba."
As one of the hosts, Gilas is already qualified for the 2023 Fiba World Cup, but is still taking the opportunity to develop through the Asian qualifiers, where it is placed in Group A with New Zealand, Korea, and India.
Gilas is set to meet Korea home and away in the first window of the qualifiers in November.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
