Jordan Clarkson banners Gilas pool for fourth window of FIBA World Cup qualifiers

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) — Jordan Clarkson headlines the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the fourth window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers later this month.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director and spokesperson Sonny Barrios on Tuesday announced the initial list of the national team pool during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year awardee was named alongside by Japan B.League players Dwight Ramos, Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., UP Fighting Maroons standout Carl Tamayo, La Salle's Kevin Quiambao, and Francis Lopez.

Barrios didn’t reveal the names of the PBA players yet as the Philippine Cup semifinals is still ongoing to avoid distractions among the cagers.

The pool will begin training on Monday without Clarkson, who has yet to schedule his date of arrival in the Philippines.

Gilas will kick off its fourth window campaign with an away match against Lebanon on August 25 and versus Saudi Arabia on August 29 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Clarkson ineligible to play as local for Gilas in FIBA

Barrio said the SBP has accepted that the Filipino-American stalwart won't be able to suit up as a local player for Gilas in FIBA-sanctioned events.

"He can't play as local. We have already accepted that his classification in FIBA is naturalized," he said during Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum Tuesday.

Barrios stressed the SBP pushed their appeal to the FIBA Central Board to make the Utah Jazz guard eligible as a local player, but it was shut down.

"We tried our best. There were a lot of effort put into our bid to make him a local player. There's no turning back," the federation official said.

Only one naturalized player can play for a national team in FIBA tournaments. With this development, current Gilas naturalized big man Angelo Kouame — who is still recovering from an ACL injury — will have to to sit out when Clarkson is tapped by the Philippines.

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