Why is Jordan Clarkson playing for the Philippines at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023?
The 2023 FIBA Basketball Tournament will kick off on August 25, with the participation of several NBA stars representing their countries.
When you watch the matches, you can see familiar faces you don’t even know have ties to the country they represent.
An example of this could be Jazz goalkeeper and former Sixth Player of the Year Jordan Clarkson, who will represent one of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 hosts, Philippines.Why is Clarkson playing for the Philippines?
Sports News gives you the answer below.
Why is Jordan Clarkson playing for the Philippines at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023?
Clarkson’s Filipino heritage comes from her mother as her maternal grandmother is from Bacolor, Pampanga, Philippines.
“I’m proud, I wear it every day.My grandmother tattooed it on my heart.”Clarkson said of his Filipino heritage at the All-Star weekend in 2023.
He and Rockets star guard Jalen Green made NBA history in the 2021-22 season, marking the first meeting between Filipino-American players on Philippine Heritage Night when Utah hosted Houston.
Clarkson made his debut for the Philippines national team at the 2018 Asian Games.
He had previously attempted to compete for his country but failed to meet FIBA’s eligibility criteria because he didn’t have a Philippine passport until he was 16 years old
He has now been recognized as a Filipino naturalized player and is committed to playing for his country at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup as well as future FIBA tournaments.
Philippines squad for FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023
Below is the official list of 12 Filipino players attending the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
| No. | Player | Position | Team |
| 10 | Rhenz Abando | G | Anyang KGC (South Korea) |
| 25 | Japeth Aguilar | F | Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Philippines) |
| 6 | Jordan Clarkson | G | Utah Jazz |
| 14 | AJ Edu | F | Toyama Grouses (Japan) |
| 15 | June Mar Fajardo | C | San Miguel Beerman (Philippines) |
| 13 | Jaime Malonzo | F | Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Philippines) |
| 17 | CJ Perez | G | San Miguel Beerman (Philippines) |
| 16 | Roger Pogoy | G | Tropang Giga (Philippines) |
| 24 | Dwight Ramos | F | Levanga Hokkaido (Japan) |
| 4 | Kiefer Ravena | G | Shiga Lakes (Japan) |
| 11 | Kai Sotto | C | Hiroshima Dragonflies (Japan) |
| 8 | Scottie Thompson | G | Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Philippines) |
Philippines FIBA team schedule 2023 World Cup
The Philippines is one of the host countries of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and will play its group stage matches at home.
They are in Group A along with Angola, Dominican Republic and Italy.
You can check out the full Philippines group stage fixtures below.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Friday, Aug. 25 | vs. Dominican Republic | 8 a.m. |
| Sunday, Aug. 27 | vs. Angola | 8 a.m. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 29 | vs. Italy | 8 a.m. |
When will the 2023 FIBA Basketball Tournament take place?
Appointment: August 25-September 10
Yard: Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup kicks off on Friday, August 25.
The group stage will take place in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
The championship match will take place on Sunday, September 10.
