Jordan Clarkson facts for kids
.jpg)
Clarkson with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019
|
|
| No. 00 – Utah Jazz | |
|---|---|
| Shooting guard / point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 7, 1992 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Filipino |
| High school | Karen J. Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 194 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall |
| Selected by the Washington Wizards | |
| Pro career | 2014–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 2014–2018 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2014–2015 | →Los Angeles D-Fenders |
| 2018–2019 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2019–present | Utah Jazz |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Jordan Taylor Clarkson (born June 7, 1992) is an American and Filipino professional basketball player. He plays for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known for his exciting scoring and energy off the bench.
Clarkson played college basketball at Tulsa and Missouri. He was drafted by the Washington Wizards in 2014 but was quickly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2021, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. This award goes to the best player who usually comes off the bench as a substitute. Jordan also has Filipino citizenship and plays for the Philippines men's national basketball team.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Jordan Clarkson was born in Tampa, Florida. His father, Mike Clarkson, is African-American. His mother, Annette Tullao Davis, is Filipino American. Jordan's grandmother was from the Philippines. Both of his parents served in the United States Air Force.
When Jordan was about six years old, he moved to San Antonio, Texas. He went to Karen Wagner High School there. In high school, he was a very good basketball player. As a junior, he scored about 20 points per game. He also helped his team win 32 games and reach the state semi-finals. As a senior, he averaged almost 19 points per game. He was named the San Antonio High School Player of the Year.
College Basketball Journey
Jordan Clarkson started his college basketball career at the University of Tulsa.
- In his first year (freshman season), he was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. He averaged 11.5 points per game.
- In his second year (sophomore season), he played even better. He averaged 16.5 points per game. He was named to the All-Conference USA first team.
After two years at Tulsa, Jordan transferred to the University of Missouri in 2012. He had to sit out one season because of NCAA rules for transfers.
In his junior year at Missouri (2013–2014), he was a star player. He averaged 17.5 points per game. He was named to the All-SEC second team. On March 31, 2014, Jordan decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would skip his final year of college.
Playing in the NBA
Starting with the Los Angeles Lakers (2014–2018)
On June 26, 2014, Jordan Clarkson was picked by the Washington Wizards in the NBA draft. He was the 46th player chosen. But right after the draft, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed with the Lakers in August 2014.
In his first year, Jordan spent some time playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. This was a team in the NBA Development League (now G-League). Later in the season, he started playing a lot more for the Lakers. He started 38 games as a point guard. He averaged 15.8 points, 5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds as a starter.
On March 24, 2015, Jordan scored a season-high 30 points. He also had 7 assists in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He and Jeremy Lin made history that day. They became the first Asian-American starting backcourt (two guards) in NBA history. At the end of his first season, Jordan was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. This means he was one of the best first-year players in the league.
In November 2015, Jordan tied his career high with 30 points against the Denver Nuggets. In February 2016, he played in the Rising Stars Challenge. This game features the best young players in the NBA. He scored 25 points in that game.
On July 7, 2016, Jordan signed a new four-year contract with the Lakers. He continued to play well for them. In October 2016, he scored 25 points coming off the bench. In March 2017, he set a new career high with 35 points. He also made eight three-pointers in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Moving to the Cleveland Cavaliers (2018–2019)
On February 8, 2018, Jordan Clarkson was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He moved with Larry Nance Jr. in a trade. In his first game for the Cavaliers, he scored 17 points. The Cavaliers made it to the 2018 NBA Finals that year. They played against the Golden State Warriors but lost in four games.
In December 2018, Jordan scored 28 points against the New York Knicks. On February 13, 2019, he had an amazing game. He scored a career-high 42 points! This was in a triple-overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Joining the Utah Jazz (2019–Present)
On December 24, 2019, Jordan Clarkson was traded again. This time, he went to the Utah Jazz. In January 2020, he scored a season-high 37 points.
On November 21, 2020, Jordan signed a new four-year contract with the Jazz. He continued to be a key player for them. On February 15, 2021, he scored a season-high 40 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.
During the 2020–21 Utah Jazz season, Jordan had his best year yet. He averaged 18.4 points per game. He also led the NBA in three-pointers made by a player coming off the bench. Because of his great performance, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He was the first player from the Utah Jazz to ever win this award!
On October 28, 2021, Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green made history. They became the first two players of Filipino descent to play in the same NBA game. This happened during the Houston Rockets' Filipino Heritage Night.
On March 12, 2022, Jordan scored a new career-high 45 points! This was in a win against the Sacramento Kings. In December 2022, he led the Jazz to an overtime win with 39 points.
On January 1, 2024, Jordan recorded his first career triple-double. A triple-double means getting 10 or more in three different stats (points, rebounds, assists). He had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. This was the first triple-double for a Utah Jazz player in a regular season game since 2008! Recently, he was fined $35,000 for an incident during a game.
Playing for the Philippines National Team
Jordan Clarkson has dual citizenship, meaning he is a citizen of both the Philippines and the United States. He has always wanted to play for the Philippines men's national basketball team, also known as Gilas.
It was tricky for him to play for the team because of international basketball rules. These rules are set by FIBA. Even though he has a Philippine passport, he got it after he was 16 years old. This meant he could only play as a "naturalized" player, not as a regular Filipino citizen.
In August 2018, the NBA allowed Jordan to play for the Philippines in the Basketball at the 2018 Asian Games. This was a special one-time permission. He played his first game against China, scoring 28 points. He also played against Korea and Japan. He helped the Philippines get a fifth-place finish, which was their best in 16 years.
In August 2022, Jordan was officially accepted as a naturalized player for future FIBA tournaments. He played in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In that tournament, he averaged 26 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game for the Philippines.
Awards and Honors
Jordan Clarkson has won many awards throughout his basketball career.
High School Awards
- First team All-District (2009–2010)
- San Antonio High School Player of the Year (2010)
College Awards
- C-USA All-Freshman Team (2011)
- First-team All-C-USA (2012)
- Second-team All-SEC (2014)
NBA Awards
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2015)
- Rookie of the Month (March 2015)
- Rising Stars Challenge participant (2016)
- NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award (2021)
- NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge Winner (2023)
Personal Life
Jordan Clarkson has a daughter. He lives in San Antonio, Texas. He is in a relationship with American singer-songwriter Maggie Lindemann.
Images for kids
-
Clarkson with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019
-
Clarkson with Missouri in 2014
-
Clarkson dribbles against Otto Porter in 2015.
-
Clarkson (#6) and other members of the Philippines national team pose with Philippine president Bongbong Marcos
-
Clarkson on a 2021 stamp of the Philippines
See also
In Spanish: Jordan Clarkson para niños
