New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson is officially the first Filipino American to win an NBA championship.
Clarkson and the Knicks made history on Saturday night, with a 94-90 comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs. It is the first time the Knicks have won a championship since 1973.
At 34, Clarkson is the oldest player on the Knicks, providing the team with a veteran presence on the bench. He played a few crucial minutes during the Knicks’ fourth-quarter comeback on Saturday, recording 2 points and one rebound.
Clarkson, whose grandmother is Filipino, became the face of Philippine basketball when he decided to represent the Philippine national team (Gilas Pilipinas).
“A lot of this is for my grandmother,” Clarkson said when representing Gilas in 2022 in the World Cup Asian qualifiers, per ESPN. “Just trying to carry her name, make her proud. … That’s probably the biggest reason why I still do, and represent the flag and country to this day.”
The Knicks vs. Spurs series guaranteed that a Filipino American would win an NBA championship this year. Dylan Harper, a rookie on the Spurs, is half Filipino on his mother’s side. Both spoke about Filipino NBA fans ahead of the finals.
“Another amazing thing happening right now,” Clarkson told reporters at a press conference. “Definitely inspiring to the Filipino Americans and Filipinos all around the country.”
