PH gives Jordan All-Star boost

Los Angeles Lakers spokesperson John Black chatted with me earlier this week about Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson and journeyman Metta World Peace, two Lakers currently making news off the hardcourt.

A third-year man on the team, the 24-year-old Clarkson made it to the NBA All-Rookie team in 2014. And if his besotted Filipino fans have their way, the Laker guard should be an All-Star this year.

Black said via e-mail that Metta, 37, will remain in the 15-man Lakers roster for the rest of the year after signing a guaranteed contract last Saturday.

More on Metta, the former Ron Artest, and the other side of his sports career later.

Meantime, Clarkson has embraced the clamor of Filipino basketball followers locally and everywhere to get him to the 2017 All-Star Game on Feb. 19, reported sports website Spin.ph.

Warmed by a Jordan Clarkson PH Facebook page screaming for his All-Star inclusion, Jordan, whose mom Annette Davis has roots in Angeles City, shared his gratitude on his Twitter account.

“Thanks for the #NBA vote support. I’d be proud to rep all of you at the All-Star Game,” he said.

NBA fans have a few more days to select their choices for the mid-season classic in New Orleans this year. Majority of the voting is still done by the fans, but the media and the players now have a say in the outcome.

The story posted by Spin.ph said Clarkson has not cracked the top 10 vote getters for a West team that already boasts three excellent guards—Steph Curry, James Harden and Russell Westbrook—as the top three vote getters.

Despite their Star Wars enthusiasm, Pinoy fans are aware that moving super novas out of the sky would be hard, but adding a new star among them is worth a try, especially since PH is the world’s top social media user.

The effort is not lost on Black. “We certainly do appreciate the support (for Clarkson) from all the fans in the Philippines,” he said.

Black said aside from being a steadying force in a young Laker team, Metta has the ear of new Lakers coach Luke Walton, Luke has talked to the media a lot about his desire for Metta to stay a Laker beyond his playing days, according to Black.

Metta, who won an NBA crown with the Lakers in 2010, manages to devote a sliver of his time, as a boxing manager.

The 16-year pro currently represents two fighters under the stable of Golden Boy Promotions.