Philppines' bid to include Clarkson in Asiad dashed by NBA
The Philippines' bid to have Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Jordan Clarkson play for their Asian Games team has been dashed after the National Basketball Association refused to release him.
Clarkson, who appeared off the bench in two 2018 NBA Finals games against repeat champions Golden State Warriors, was included by the basketball-crazy Asian nation in their squad last week as they tried to get his paperwork done on time.
However, the Philippine basketball federation (SBP) said yesterday it has been informed that the NBA would not release Clarkson for the Asiad.
"Of course, very disappointed," SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) president Al Panlilio told AFP in a text message when asked to comment on the NBA decision.
"But knowing our team under coach Yeng (Guiao), we will fight and play hard. We have always been resilient," Panlilio added.
Clarkson, 26, had not previously played for the Philippines, but has in the past expressed an interest in playing for the country of his maternal grandmother.
The Philippines had originally withdrawn from the Asiad basketball event after seeing 10 players and two coaches hit with suspensions and fines, after an on-court brawl with Australia at a World Cup qualifier last month. But the SBP hastily assembled a team from scratch, naming Clarkson in the 12-man roster last week, after being asked by a senior aide to President Rodrigo Duterte to change their decision.
Their opening game is against Kazakhstan on Thursday.
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