Clarkson presence confidence booster for Gilas

Gilas Pilipinas pool members AJ Edu and Calvin Oftana have no doubt that the presence of NBA star Jordan Clarkson in the national team's practices in recent days, have elevated their play and competitiveness as the build up continues for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

“When you have high-level players join, it elevates everyone else, especially for NBA players like Jordan, everyone wants to meet those standards,” Edu said during his guest appearance on Saturday, August 12 at former PBA commissioner Noli Eala's online sports program Power and Play.

Jordan Clarkson FIBA PHOTO

“It (Clarkson's presence) has impacted us in a good way, the confidence I felt has gone up, and the level of play has gone up in general,” added Edu, who is coming off an impressive effort in Gilas' recent trip to Guangdong, China where the national squad won three of four matches in the 2023 Heyuan WUS International Basketball Tournament.

Meantime, Oftana noted that having the Utah Jazz superstar guarantees Gilas a lethal scorer, who brings so much inspiration and stability to a Philippine side that is raring to put on a great show in the FIBA World Cup right before its home crowd.

“Knowing Jordan, you will expect the numbers. because he's an NBA caliber player, who inspires us to play,” Oftana said in Filipino.

The sweet-shooting TNT wingman said having played with Clarkson during the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifier in August 2022, he has seen first hand the kind of impact the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year can bring to the team.

“I've played with him before and he can really produce the numbers, can really, really help the team because he has played at the highest league (in the world),” said the 27-year-old Oftana.

“We just hope we can really develop chemistry soon.”

Clarkson arrived in Manila early Tuesday, and the following night, quickly joined Gilas' practice on closed-door at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

The Philippines has 13 days to get Clarkson integrated to the system before making its much-awaited World Cup debut against Dominican Republic on Aug. 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.