Since he debuted in the NBA, Jordan Clarkson’s impressive performances have established him as a young and talented basketball player. The American point guard of Filipino heritage who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers is proudly the only Filipino in the NBA after Raymond Townsend, who played from 1978 to 1982.
Early Life and Rise to Fame
Jordan Clarkson was born on June 7, 1992, in Tampa, Florida, United States. Jordan’s parents named him after the NBA legend Michael Jordan, he was nicknamed ‘J’. As a child, his favorite game was soccer. He played soccer, hoops, and ran track and field including the 400, the 200 and the 100-meter. But given his early exposure to the world of basketball – thanks to his father; Jordan turned his interests to basketball in high school.
He grew up in San Antonio and attended Karen Wagner High School, Texas. In his senior year as a player for his school’s team, he averaged 18.9 points per game and was named San Antonio High School Player of the Year as well as the MVP of the 2010 Faith Seven Game.
Jordan Clarkson began studying at the University of Tulsa in 2010, where he won the First-Team All-Conference USA honors. But two years later, he transferred to the University of Missouri, where he was selected as a Second-Team All-SEC and graduated with a degree in Arts & Science.
In June 2014, Clarkson was selected in the NBA draft as the 46th overall pick by Washington Wizards. However, he made his professional NBA debut for Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014-15 season, after he was traded by the Wizards on draft night. In July 2016, he was re-signed by the Lakers on a four-year contract extension for $50 million throughout the period.
In his 273 games with the Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Jordan Clarkson who is known for his scoring punch off the bench currently plays for his third NBA franchise after he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February 2018. The San Antonio native continues with his impressive and productive efforts serving as the team’s sixth man and playing alongside other big shots including LeBron James.
Who Are Jordan Clarkson’s Parents?
Jordan Clarkson is the son of Annette Davis and Mike Clarkson. Though born and raised in the United States, Clarkson is of mixed ethnicity. While his mother is Filipino from Angeles, Pampanga, his father is an African American who worked as a human resource manager for the Air Force Personnel Center. Mike Clarkson is also a basketball coach and helped shape Jordan’s career by introducing him to the basketball world at an early age. However, Jordan was raised by his mother and maternal grandmother after his parents divorced.
He has a stepmother Janie Clarkson. His brother Bear Clarkson, also shares the same interests and plays collegiate basketball at Harris-Stowe State University.
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Who Is His Girlfriend?
Jordan Clarkson has had an interesting dating history with women in a list that includes various celebrities. Though some of these relationships are unconfirmed rumors, it is believed that he dated supermodel Chanel Iman in 2015, model Chantel Jeffries in 2016, television personality and model Kendall Jenner between 2016-2017, actress Bella Thorne in 2017 and more recently, model Hailey Baldwin.
Jordan Clarkson’s Salary and Net Worth
In his young and blooming NBA career, Jordan Clarkson has had an exciting experience and contract deals from various transfers/trades. With his current contract, Jordan earns $12 million and his projected salaries are $13 million in 2019 and $13 million in 2020. He has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
Height and Other Facts about Jordan
1. Height
Like most professional athletes, point guard Clarkson has an athletic body. He stands at 6 feet 5 inches (198 cm) and weighs 194 lb. His body measurements are; Chest – 43 inches (109 cm), Arms / Biceps – 14.5 inches (37 cm) and Waist – 33 inches (84 cm).
2. He’s Proud of his Filipino Heritage
Clarkson who has dual citizenship in the Philippines and U.S is proud of his Filipino heritage. In 2014, he teamed with his fellow Lakers guard Jeremy Lin who is Asian-American, to form the first Asian starting backcourt in NBA history. In collaboration with labels like Nike and NBA Cares, Jordan has held basketball training camps in the Philippines and other Asian countries. In 2015, he also indicated interest in playing with the Philippines Men’s National Basketball Team. However, a schedule conflict between the LA Lakers training camp and the Philippines national team playoff schedule halted that possibility.
3. Philanthropic Endeavors
The San Antonio native is involved in philanthropic causes. He has a foundation called the JC Cares Foundation which works on projects to assist low-income sector of societies. They also collaborate with cancer foundations and other charity outlets.
4. He’s Fashion Inclined
Clarkson once took part in photoshoots for a big shot designer, Fendi in Italy.
