AS the house cleaning begins for the new LA Lakers front office, guard Jordan Clarkson addressed the team’s huge fan base to hang on and keep the faith.
“Just be patient,” he said as SPIN.ph caught up with him recently during his Summer Basketball Camp at the Centennial High School in Corona, California.
“We’ll see,” he added with a big smile.
Just last week, the legendary Magic Johnson, now the team’s president of basketball operations, started the ball rolling for the Lakers when he traded D’ Angelo Russell along with Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for big man Brook Lopez and the rights to Kyle Kuzma.
The move obviously was made to create room for the Lakers’ acquisition of Lonzo Ball as the no.2 overall pick in last week’s rookie draft.
The Lakers have not made the playoffs since being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs in 2013.
But Clarkson remains optimistic about the franchise especially with Johnson now trying to lay the foundation of the team’s future.
With the league still in off-season, the 25-year-old guard out of Tulsa and Missouri took the time off to conduct a cage clinic last June 28 to 30 for boys and girls ages 5 to 16.
Clarkson considers teaching kids as a great opportunity and experience.
“It’s a great experience for me. It’s a long ways, but I feel like I want to stretch (it even more),” he said.
At the same time, Clarkson continues to be vocal about his Filipino heritage, knowing he serves as major inspiration for others who are hoping to make it to the big league.
“It’s great that just being able to go over there (Philippines) during summer time and see the love and opportunity they gave me,” he said. “That means a lot more to me, that’s why I continue to keep striving and try to do great things.
“I know a lot of people are watching and know they’re behind me. I’m just trying to pave the way for many others to come.”
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