JORDAN Clarkson has been in the NBA Finals once, but he never really felt like he was at his best to help the team reach the pinnacle.
"I went to the Finals with LeBron [James] and that Cleveland team, but I was still young, working, trying to get to this point where I really understand the game," he admitted.
Clarkson came to the Cavaliers in 2018, but struggled fitting in as the Golden State Warriors swept Cleveland in the NBA Finals.
Now with the Utah Jazz, the Fil-Am guard believes that he's better than ever, an integral part of the squad which finished with the best record in the NBA at 52-20.
"This is my first time really being on a winning team and having a piece of it and having a role in it," said the 28-year-old, who was recently named as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Truly, Clarkson's presence has been a big boost for Utah to snare the top seed in the Western Conference as he averaged a career-high 18.4 points on 35-percent shooting from deep, to go with his 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.7 minutes.
A big reason for that is the trust coach Quin Snyder gave Clarkson the moment he was traded from the Cavs in 2019 -- a big difference-maker to the confidence the 6-foot-4 guard displayed in his two years in Salt Lake City.
"When I got here, coach Quin sat me down and really showed me the shots I was taking and what he expected from me, what he saw in me and what expected out of me. So I just took it all in," he said.
"I still have a lot of room to grow, but the biggest thing for me is just been winning. And this team is just amazing, how we bond together. I know it sounds kind of cliche that we always talk about it and kind of put it out there, but having the teammates and the coaching staff, I feel like you don't really get this opportunity once or twice ever."
That, to Clarkson, really what sets this Jazz squad apart from his old teams like the Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Here in Utah, with this organization, this team is definitely a different feel. I know that the next man got my back. But these guys, I've been so open with them and transparent that they almost feel like family," he said. "Building these relationship with my teammates and everybody here with this organization, those have been the biggest highlights to me throughout the season."
And what better way for Clarkson to really punctuate this amazing season than a ring and a championship banner at the end of the year.
"Hopefully, we get what we want to get done in this playoffs and that's winning a championship and compete for a championship. That will be the biggest highlight of my year and especially after a tough year last year," he said.
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