Los Angeles Laker point guard Jordan Clarkson is heading home from the Philippines after a five day NBA goodwill tour with fellow player Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz and NBA legend Horace Grant, reports the Inquirer.
Clarkson’s mother is Filipino American and his father is African American. Everywhere he went in the Philippines, the fans embraced him as one of their own.
“It’s a big thing for me,” Clarkson said about his heritage. “I want to make everybody proud. I’m working hard everyday just to do that.
“The amount of support—I’ve been feeling it the whole year, but actually coming here and seeing it, how many people love basketball and how they’re supportive of me, it’s pretty cool.”
Jordan made it into the Laker starting line up in the second half of the season when the team stuck in last place tried to salvage the season by going to a youth movement. Clarkson was named to the NBA All Rookie Team just prior to leaving on his tour of the Philippines.
This was his first trip to the homeland of his mother.
You can read about Clarkson’s interaction with his fans and his thoughts on what he learned from his mother in the Inquirer.
