Olmin Leyba – The Philippine Star
August 22, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Fil-Am NBA star Jordan Clarkson looks excitedly forward to starting a new chapter with the New York Knicks while connecting with the sizable Filipino community in the Big Apple.
Clarkson, who signed with the Knicks after reaching a buyout agreement with the Utah Jazz, likes the energy in the city that shares his passion for the game.
“I just think the energy in the arena, this is a place that everybody wakes up and wants to play, wants to be a part of it,” Clarkson said in an interview with Ronnie Fieg, founder of New York fashion brand KITH.
“I think being a Knick, in that sense, you have a sense of pride. It’s love around the city, always for the Knicks.”
And by becoming a Knick, the Gilas Pilipinas pride also gets to interact with over 250,000 Pinoys in his new home.
“I think when you go out there and be confident and show love and really play for the city and embrace it and wear it on your skin when you’re out there on the floor, play with pride and know it’s bigger than yourself and this team, I feel like that’s when you really are engaged and want to take it to the next level,” he said.
A former NBA Sixth Man of the Year awardee, Clarkson is expected to give the Knicks the offensive punch off the bench as they aim for greater heights after their Eastern Conference Finals run last season.
Clarkson averaged 16.2 points on a 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 36.2 percent clip from three, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season with Utah. His entry should boost the bench mob of the Knicks, which were dead last in bench points per game the previous campaign, averaging 21.7 markers.
“I’m ready for it all and super excited and ready to get to it,” he said.