MANILA – Just when Gilas Pilipinas is ready to field a complete lineup to the 2018 Asian Games without Jordan Clarkson, the NBA allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Filipino-American guard to play in the Asiad, according to Philippine delegation officials.
After initially turning down the Philippines’ request, the American league cleared Clarkson to play for his native country, said Chef de Mission Richard Gomez.
“We sent an appeal to the NBA several times, and it was now granted,” Gomez said Tuesday afternoon.
The Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia have approved the reentry of Clarkson to the Philippine men’s basketball team, said Assistant Chef de Mission Robert Bachmann.
“The INASGOC and OCA agreed to bend their rules to include Jordan (Clarkson) again in the Philippine team,” Bachmann said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas 2 from Indonesia. “Cleared na siya to play for the Philippine team.”
Clarkson was included in Gilas’ 12-man Asian Games roster but removed after the NBA, through spokesman Tim Frank, said the league allows its players to play for their national teams in Olympics and FIBA contests.
TNT KaTropa guard Don Trollano was enlisted to replace Clarkson – but the latest development made the Asian Games stint of the former look bleak. Trollano’s entry was formalized Monday evening.
“Siyempre masaya. Hindi ko naman kasi ine-expect na matatawag ulit ako,” Trollano had said of the INASGOC’s approval of his entry. “Kasi dream iyan e. Dream ng lahat ng [Filipino] players na makapaglaro para sa bansa natin.”
Gilas Pilipinas will open its campaign on Thursday with a match against Kazakhstan at 10 a.m. The Philippines will play again Tuesday next week in a much-awaited encounter with the mighty China at 4 p.m.
Gomez said he pointed out in their appeal to the NBA that the league allowed active players Zhou Qi of the Houston Rockets and Ding Yanyuhang of the Dallas Mavericks to play for China in Asian Games.
Earlier Gilas Pilipinas head coach Yeng Guiao said Clarkson is a welcome addition to the team.
“He (Clarkson) is going to make a big impact not just on the national team but on the whole country,” Guiao had said. “To have a legitimate NBA superstar play for Gilas, it has never happened before.”/PN
