Clarkson has nothing but respect for Chot Reyes

Jordan Clarkson has nothing but respect for Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes, who following the Philippines' 96-75 rout of China, announced that “he's stepping down” from his post.

“I mean, I could just start off with one word—respect. Like you said, he didn't applied for this job. He didn't do that, he got chosen and you know, he has put everything on the line. Like he said, his family and for the country as well,” Clarkson told media men, moments after Gilas closed the 2023 FIBA World Cup with a 21-point victory over China on Saturday night.

Chot Reyes PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO

While Reyes was perhaps, the most maligned personality in the World Cup after failing to steer Gilas to the lone automatic slot for Asia in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Utah Jazz superstar believes the 60-year-old Filipino coach has “done a good job.”

“You know, he's done a good job in rallying the all of us in the short times that we've been together, trying to get stuff in, you know, as quick as possible,” stressed the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

“I just got super respect for him. I've been talking to him since I was young and we've been waiting for the opportunity to get together and you know, play the game, do this for a while. All I got is respect for him and (I) take my hat off for him. That's he's decision, today, but it's all love.”

Clarkson capped his World Cup stint with a 34-point explosion, knocking down five three-pointers that allowed Gilas to pull away and trample China in the final day of the classification round.

The Philippines went on to finish 24th place in the World Cup based on the ranking released by FIBA after Saturday's games.

The win also allowed the Philippines to snap a nine-game losing skid in the World Cup since the 2019 edition in Foshan, China.