WALA nang makakahadlang pa sa paglalaro ng Filipino-American point guard na si Jordan Clarkson para sa Philippine men’s basketball team sa 18th Asian Games sa Palembang at Jakarta sa Indonesia.
Yun nga lang, malamang na hindi aabot si Clarkson sa unang laro ng Pilipinas kontra Kazakhstan na mag-uumpisa alas-11 ng umaga.
Huwebes ng umaga rin kasi ang takdang pagdating ng manlalaro ng Cleveland Cavaliers sa Indonesia at kakapusin ito sa panahon para makahabol pa sa laro.
Napag-alaman mismo sa Team Pilipinas Secretariat na hindi nakakuha ng mas maagang biyahe ang 26-anyos na si Clarkson matapos na payagan siya ng National Basketball Association Martes ng umaga para maglaro sa Asian Games.
Ayon kay Team Pilipinas chef de mission Richard Gomez, nahirapan silang makakuha ng direktang flight para kay Clarkson patungo sa Istora Gelora Bung Kamo kung saan nakatakdang maglaro ang Pilipinas at Kazakhstan.
Una nang hindi pinayagan ng NBA si Clarkson pero matapos umapela ang mga sports leaders ng bansa ay binigyan ito ng one time exception kasama ang dalawa pang ibang NBA players.
“The NBA today announced that it has granted a special exception for NBA players to play in the 2018 Asian Games, permitting Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson, Houston Rockets center Zhou Qi and Dallas Mavericks forward Ding Yanyuhang to represent their respective countries in this year’s event,” nakasaad sa sulat ng NBA.
“The NBA’s agreement with FIBA stipulates that NBA players can participate in the Olympics, the FIBA Basketball World Cup, Continental Cup competitions and associated qualifying tournaments. Because the Asian Games are not one of those competitions, NBA players under contract are unable to participate. However, due to a lack of clear communication of that agreement between the NBA and the Chinese and Philippines Basketball Federations, and after further discussions with both Federations, the NBA has agreed to provide this one-time exception,” sabi pa nito.