By MARK REY MONTEJO
The 80th NBA Finals will not only be remembered as the duel between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs and the marquee showdown between Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Knicks’ Jalen Brunson.
This year’s edition is also big and historic for basketball-crazy Filipinos.
Every Filipino who knows his basketball is anticipating high-stakes drama as
two Filipino-Americans in Jordan Clarkson of the Knicks and Dylan Harper of the Spurs are chasing history.
And the question as to who will raise the NBA championship trophy first is one intriguing question.
Ahead of their Game 1 clash on Thursday, June 4 (Philippine time), veteran guard Clarkson, who completed high school in San Antonio, expressed his delight that he and Harper are set to bring joy and pride for Filipino fans around the world.
“Another amazing thing that’s happening right now. Definitely inspiring to the Filipino-Americans and Filipinos all around the country. It’s definitely going to be fun to watch,” said Clarkson NBA Finals press conference Wednesday, June 3 (Philippine time).
Clarkson, 33, heaped praises on the 20-year-old Harper for his poise and maturity throughout the season, noting he has been impressed by the young guard’s composure in high-pressure moments despite his age and relative inexperience.
“He’s been really good throughout the whole year. I’ve been watching him. Keeping up with him as well, him being so young, having so much poise throughout this whole playoffs,” the sweet-shooting 6-foot-5 guard for the Knicks.
“It’s a great sight to see a young star coming in this league and doing what he’s doing,” he added. “Like you said, one of us two taking a championship back home to the Philippines and representing that well.”
Playing in his 12th NBA season, Clarkson, a Gilas Pilipinas standout, enters his second Finals appearance after earning his first title shot alongside LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018.
Spearheaded by Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, Clarkson and Co. seek to bring the glory to the City of New York which bagged its last title when Hall of Famers Clyde Frazier, Willis Reed, and Earl Monroe lifted the team to the NBA apex in 1973
Harper, on the other hand, dives into his finals debut with Wembanyama as they try to bring the Spurs back to the Promised Land after missing out for the past decade. The last time they ruled the NBA was in the 2014 edition where young Kawhi Leonard helped the iconic core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili.
