Chuck Araneta 6y

Here's what Jordan Clarkson brings to the table for Gilas Pilipinas

The dream many basketball loving Filipinos thought was out of reach will finally come true on Tuesday when Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson makes his debut in international competition as a member of Gilas Pilipinas.

All eyes will be on the Filipino-American to see what he will be able to accomplish on the court with guys like Stanley Pringle, James Yap and Christian Standhardinger. Clarkson's arrival couldn't have come sooner, as the Philippines will need all the help it can get to battle a fully-loaded powerhouse like China.

There are a lot of questions heading into the matchup about how Clarkson will fit, and perhaps how coach Yeng Guiao intends to use him. For one, the challenge of learning a new system, along with a new set of teammates, is a difficult one, without the benefit of weeks or even months of training. Clarkson, who arrived in Indonesia on Thursday, only has a few days to try and cram everything. And with the setup of the Asian Games, teams are only allotted an hour's worth of practice before they have to give way for other teams to prepare.

Because of those harsh situations, it's a blessing for Clarkson that Guiao is at the helm of the team, and that the "Gilastopainters" are in the fold. Right after the first practice, Clarkson was already able to get a feel of what the team was trying to run, which is credit to the simplicity but effectiveness of Guiao's system.

"It was a lot of dribble drive, a lot of movement, ball screens, I'll fit right into it," Clarkson told the media after his first practice. "It was easy to pick up for me."

Having teammates who are all familiar with the system will also take the burden off of Clarkson to initiate the offense right away. As seen in the Philippines' impressive victory over Kazakhstan, guys are looking comfortable in their specific positions.

The key to the team is what kind of role Guiao will give Clarkson. Will he be the designated scorer, running the offense through him and using bigs to set screens for him to get free, or will the ball still be in Pringle's hands, and Clarkson off-ball ready to fire away?

A peek into Clarkson's performances in the NBA might be able to offer some insight. In four years in the NBA, Jordan has career averages of 13.9 points on 45.6% from the field, and 1.4 triples made at 35.2%. After the trade that sent him to the Cavaliers midseason, Clarkson bumped up his three-point shooting to 1.6 made per contest on 40.7% from beyond the arc.

Clarkson should be able to flourish in that kind of role, especially with a guy like Pringle able to create shots for others due to his uncanny speed and ball handling. Clarkson will be able to wiggle free as well because the big men on the team, guys like Beau Belga and Raymod Almazan, are very comfortable giving screens to free up shooters off-ball.

However, Clarkson isn't only a shooter. During his time with the Lakers, he has proven capable of running the offense in short bursts. He started last season off the bench and was tasked with calling out plays when Lonzo Ball sat on the bench. He responded by averaging 3.3 dimes per contest, impressive when you consider it was in a sixth man role and in only 23 minutes.

At a listed 6'5, Clarkson running the show in the Asian Games could be devastating. He has the handle to breakdown defenses at the NBA level -- what more in the Asian Games. Because of his name, China will also be hunting him down, and all eyes will be on him to see what he will be able to do.

That's when floor spacers like Yap, Pringle and Chris Tiu are going to be so valuable. Unless China decides to play zone to stop penetration, Clarkson should be able to get to the rim at will. But he will be met with stiff resistance, so teammates have to be at the right spots in order to make China pay for doubling Jordan. His familiarity with teammates and the system will also be put to the test when he handles the ball. Knowing where his teammates are on the floor at all times is going to be a big key. But at the level that he's playing in, and the knowledge he has of the game, that shouldn't be a problem.

There's still time to prepare Clarkson for China, but the reality is they probably won't be able to get him at 100% prepared for the game. There's the limited practice time, plus the effects of jet lag that Clarkson will still have to fight through, coming from Los Angeles all the way to to Indonesia.

But that's where Clarkson's experience and NBA pedigree should become advantageous. Never has the Philippines fielded a player with his resume in international competition. Clarkson should be a shot in the arm that the team needs to gain more confidence heading into this crucial tiff with China, and the rest of the Asian Games.

Forget about the end of the NBA season, and his struggles with the Cavs in the recent playoffs. That shouldn't be what defines his identity. The Philippines is getting a player who is a proven contributor at the highest level of basketball, and by all accounts has a good attitude and is hellbent on bringing a medal home for the Philippines. That's what Clarkson brings to the table, and why the Philippines should be excited when he runs out there for the first time as a member of Gilas Pilipinas.

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