SBP awaiting OK from Lakers coach for Clarkson to play entire Fiba Asia

TAIPEI –For Gilas Pilipinas to be an even more formidable competitor in the 2015 Fiba Asia Championships in China, it would have to get some kind of help from another Los Angeles Lakers point guard – Byron Scott.

The head coach of the Lakers, it seems, is the final man who can clear the way for Fil-American point guard Jordan Clarkson to suit up all the way in the Olympic Qualifier in Changsha, China, according to the update the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas gave.

SBP vice-chair Ricky Vargas and PBA PLDT governor Pato Gregorio came out of a meeting with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak and were, in essence, told that Clarkson can play the whole tournament if Scott and his coaching staff give the green light.

Vargas, though, already secured permission from the Lakers that Clarkson will be available in future big events.

“They (Buss and Kupchak) requested some time to talk to the Lakers coaches,” Vargas said in a text message to the Inquirer on Saturday while on the way home to Manila. “They have no objections for Jordan to play for the national team long term.

“But for Fiba-Asia, we continue (to) discuss availability.”

Clarkson had earlier declared to the SBP group that he is “all in” for Gilas until the 2024 Olympics.

Media Day and three days of training camp in Hawaii with the Lakers are what’s in the way Clarkson playing the full route, and that would run in the same days as the Fiba-Asia’s quarterfinals, Final Four and gold medal games.

The Philippines, even without Clarkson, have a relatively light group schedule in China and will surely make it to the quarterfinal phase, where coach Tab Baldwin needs all hands available to be on deck.

The Lakers had earlier told Inquirer sports columnist Percy Della that all players should be in LA for Media Day on Sept. 28. Training camp will run starting the following day until Oct. 7.