Even miles away, it looks like Jordan Clarkson just loves reppin' the Philippines
Now it can be told: Nick Young is playing for the Philippines’ Strong Group thanks in part to kababayan Jordan Clarkson.
Young admitted as much in an interview on One Sports' The Game, noting how he had talked to the Fil-Am gunner about the Philippines and potentially playing here. Without any contract but with a renewed ‘itch’ to play basketball again, Swaggy P took his shot, sending out that tease of a tweet:
“Just got the bug again . . . From my stint in the NBA, I was a little hurt I didn’t get the chance to get another contract, so I had to let that boil over and get my mind right,” said Young when asked why he decided to play again. “But I missed basketball, and once I seen Dwight Howard go out there to Taiwan . . . I talked to Jordan and asked him how it’s like in the Philippines. I put it out on Twitter, but I didn’t think it was gonna blow up like it did. But here I am.”
Curiously, it seemed Young initially wanted to follow Howard to Taiwan's and play in the T1 League:
But, thanks to Clarkson presumably, Swaggy P is here, and he is getting ready to represent the Philippines in the Dubai International Basketball Championship a week from today. However, Young admitted he is not fully in game shape just yet, though he says he says he is ready for the Asian game after Clarkson told him “it’s gonna be physical” and run-and-gun in this side of the world.
“He told me to get in shape,” added Young, who said he is at about 70% with just a week of training left. But he vowed to be all the way back in time for the Dubai tilt.
For the meantime, though, Swaggy P would still like to know the best food spots in the country.
“I asked [Clarkson] about the food spots,” Young admitted. “But I still need to know — I need recommendations. “