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It's final: Jordan Clarkson classified as naturalized player by FIBA

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="File photo." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/sports/09/02/09012018-clarkson-psc-media-pool.jpg"/><figcaption>Jordan Clarkson competed for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games. <em>File photo.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson can only play for the Philippines as a naturalized player, the world governing body for basketball has decided with finality.</p><p>The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) on Tuesday confirmed that Clarkson, who traces his roots to the Philippines through his mother, is classified as a naturalized player by FIBA and thus cannot play for Gilas Pilipinas as a local.</p><p>&quot;Tinanggap na namin na naturalized lang ang classification niya sa FIBA,&quot; SBP executive director and spokesperson Sonny Barrios said during an appearance on the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday morning.</p><p>&quot;We tried our best. Maraming pagsisikap na makuha &#x27;yung ating kagustuhan, pero &#x27;yan na nga ho, gagamitin na natin siyang naturalized, there&#x27;s no turning back,&quot; he added. &quot;Naturalized na po siya.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/09/22/clarkson-headlines-gilas-pool-for-upcoming-fiba-window">READ: Clarkson headlines Gilas pool for upcoming FIBA window</a></li></ul><p>Clarkson received a special exemption from the NBA to play for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games, where he helped Gilas Pilipinas finish in fifth place.</p><p>But because he acquired his Philippine passport after the age of 16, he cannot play for Gilas as a local. </p><p>The SBP spent several years lobbying FIBA on his behalf: as recently as February 2022, Gilas coach Chot Reyes bared that SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan personal advocated for Clarkson to play as a local.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/07/22/sbp-still-wants-clarkson-to-play-as-a-local-for-gilas">READ: SBP still wants Jordan Clarkson to play as a local for Gilas</a></li></ul><p>Their efforts were repeatedly denied, however, and Barrios said they have no choice but to accept FIBA&#x27;s decision.</p><p>&quot;We did abandon. It&#x27;s just that at the level of talks that we&#x27;ve had, kumbaga &#x27;pag sinabing pasensiya na, hindi pwede, then we accept it,&quot; he explained.</p><p>&quot;Kasi kung sa usapang matino, &#x27;pag nasabing hindi pwede, paulit-ulit ka pa, ang ayaw natin, masagot tayo ng, &#x27;What part of no did you not understand?&#x27; Mahirap naman &#x27;yun kung lalabas na mahirap tayong gumets,&quot; he added.</p><p>&quot;Gets na natin, tanggap na natin.&quot;</p><p>In February, Reyes said that their hope was for Clarkson to play as a local while Ange Kouame would be the naturalized player for Gilas Pilipinas. With that out of the question, the Filipino-American guard will most likely be the Philippines&#x27; naturalized player for next year&#x27;s FIBA Basketball World Cup.</p><p>Barrios said the national team will maximize Clarkson&#x27;s participation; the Jazz guard is set to join Gilas for the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers later this month.</p><p>&quot;Tayo naman, puspusan tayong gagamitin ang kagalingan, karunungan ni Jordan Clarkson the best way we can,&quot; said Barrios.</p><p>&quot;We are playing with the cards that are dealt to us. We&#x27;ll not sit on our hands and feel sorry for ourselves. Hindi natin nakuha &#x27;yung ideal, pero we&#x27;ll still move forward,&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2163297" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Jordan Clarkson can only play for the Philippines as a naturalized player, the world governing body for basketball has decided with finality.

It's final: Jordan Clarkson classified as naturalized player by FIBA

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It's final: Jordan Clarkson classified as naturalized player by FIBA

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 09, 2022 02:20 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

FIBA

Gilas Pilipinas

Jordan Clarkson

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas

SBP

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