When Jordan Clarkson takes the court in the starting line up for the Los Angeles Lakers, he can feel the support of the Filipino American community.
Clarkson’s mom is Filipino and his father African American. Jordan is the first Filipino player in the NBA since Raymond Townsend played for the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors from 1978 to 1982.
“I’ve really grown aware of my Filipino heritage since I came out here. I do my best to represent Filipinos well. They’re always on my mind,” he said in an exclusive interview with Positively Filipino.
He is the son of military parents and was born in Tampa, Florida and grew up in Texas. Clarkson calls his Filipino grandma lola.
“My mother and grandmother taught me to be strong. They were raised in poverty in the Philippines. Coming to the States was hard for them. They gave me my work ethic.”
Jordan hopes to play for the Philippines National Team this summer and is already planning his first trip to the Philippines.
You can read the entire interview with Clarkson in Positively Filipino.
