Posted on 04/19/2024 12:23:01 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green are two of the players in the NBA right now with Filipino blood.
NBA insider Chris Haynes probably knows never to brag about his basketball achievements to Charles Barkley. However, while reporting from Sacramento, he made the mistake of telling the NBA on TNT hosts about winning a Filipino league MVP award.
Barkley gave him a dose of reality, reminding him that the feat may not mean much to three NBA legends (himself, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kenny Smith). The retired superstar is probably hoping, though, that he didn't offend Filipino fans.
"No disrespect," Chuck told Haynes. "I know I'mma get in trouble to ask this question, but how many Filipinos been drafted into the NBA? I'm just asking a question, man."
Answering Barkley's question
None of them could answer "Sir Charles," although someone might want to inform him that there are a couple of players in the NBA of Filipino descent.
Perhaps the more notable of them is Jordan Clarkson, who was selected by the Washington Wizards in the second round in 2014 and immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. The former Sixth Man of the Year's mother hails from the Philippines, and he has already represented the nation in several international competitions.
The other is Jalen Green, the Houston Rockets' second overall pick in 2021. His mother holds American citizenship but has Filipino blood. While Green has expressed interest in playing for the Philippines' national basketball squad, he has already played for the United States' junior national teams.
The past and future of the Philippines' NBA dream
Interestingly, Clarkson wasn't the first of a Filipino lineage to be drafted into the NBA. The honor belongs to Raymond Townsend, the first Filipino-American to play in the Association. He was chosen by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1978 draft and spent just three seasons in the league.
The basketball-crazed nation's dream of seeing a full-blooded Filipino in the NBA has yet to be realized. That nearly came true in 2022 when Kai Sotto, a 7-foot-3 center, declared for the draft. After working out for multiple franchises, he went undrafted. As a result, he took his talents to Australia and Japan while waiting for another shot in the Association.
Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy advised the Filipino prodigy, telling Sotto that his development and growth will come at a time when it's supposed to.
Racists racist. Muh equity!
Now they can claim more accolades by playing for the WNBA.
My wife is Filipino.
Trust me, they WILL be offended, and rightly so.
lol My wife is Filipino and she just said, who?
BTW Basketball is a big sport in the Philippines, just the players are shorter.
I remember all the Asians going crazy over ‘Linsanity’, and Jeremy Lin.
Indeed!
Every time I visit Mindanao, I’m blown away by the kids running up and down the courts … wearing flip-flops (“slippahs”).
My gf is Filipina and never gets offended about anything.
And she’s from Davao.
Basketball is the biggest sport in the Philippines, by far.
Filipinos are generally sane.
There isnt much of US outrage culture there.
Somebody that is of Filipino ethnicity should scream DEI in the NBA.
‘Filipinos are generally sane.’
What a weird comment.
“Filipinos are generally sane.”
Its an important point. The culture is relatively immune to some problems. There is little risk of things like fanaticism there. In this case it is also at little risk of some American weaknesses like outrage culture.
Filipino culture has its own weaknesses in other areas, such as complacency and excessive love of consensus, plus respect for hierarchy.
Filipinos are, in general, the least likely ethnic group to make a fuss over DEI.
I never have a bad time with Filipinos or Hawaiians around.
Without the Chinese or some other foreigners paying for players salaries, how do they make so much? NOBODY, I mean NOBODY I know of watches the NBA anymore. It has more in common with Harlem Globetrotters than a sport. They don’t test for drugs or something, because Lebron James is definitely doing HGH and Steroids for years now, plus ever hear of a suspension for smoking dope? NOPE
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