Jordan Clarkson will most likely be out of Gilas Pilipinas’ final roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Manny V. Pangilinan.
Pangilinan shared during a press conference Tuesday that the FIBA has made the team choose only one between current naturalized player Andray Blatche and the Los Angeles Lakers guard, and Gilas will lean toward choosing Blatche since Clarkson is still not considered a local.
“Arrangements with Jordan Clarkson will be a bit more complicated (since he is an NBA player). We want to go through everything so that it is done right,” Pangilinan said.
“(We) are leaning towards Blatche given the time pressure since that will be the simpler (scenario).”
Pangilinan added: “Blatche is already a naturalized Filipino while (Clarkson), we have to go through a long process and documentation. We have to go through several groups. We don’t know if whether he would have enough time to be here to prepare for the July event.”
The SBP lobbied to consider Clarkson as a local last year, although the governing body failed to submit the necessary requirements in time for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
Choosing Blatche would be the more ideal decision as well, since the former Brooklyn Net is already expected to arrive this May.
“He is already on board,” Gilas team manager Butch Antonio said of Blatche, who played for Gilas in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
Clarkson has played in 78 games for the Lakers this NBA season, and is averaging 15.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG.
