Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has one of the more positive NBA late draftee successes in recent memory.
Drafted 46th overall in 2014, the Filipino-American guard was able to find a niche in the prestigious league and has since been a consistent contributor off the bench.
đš| @jordanclarksons with a team-leading 23 points â¤ľď¸ pic.twitter.com/yNxl8CyuO7
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 27, 2020
The 6-5 Clarkson recently signed a 4-year, $52-million extension deal with the Utah Jazz, which have utilized him as one of their better bench scorers.
But it wasn’t at all an easy route for Clarkson either; he spent time in the NBA G-League first before being noticed and finally being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now, the one-time Gilas Pilipinas player has simple advice for teenage Filipino star Kai Sotto, who has aspirations of making the NBA too.
“The best advice I got him is to stay in the gym. Keep continuing the work … Just tell him to put his nose down. Keep grinding. It’s all about workout at the end of the day,” said Clarkson per a report.
The 7-2 Sotto is currently with Team Ignite in the G-League. He did not go to college, choosing instead the G-League professional pathway program wherein aspiring NBA players have the opportunity to train with NBA personnel and play organized games with G-League squads.
Clarkson added that being surrounded by NBA coaches, scouts, trainers, veteran players, and more will be beneficial for Sotto, who is still adjusting to the NBA type of play.
“When youâre around NBA pros, guys, and coaches, just having that and being around that experiences, it’s going to make him better.”
Sotto is expected to be a late 1st rounder or an early 2nd rounder in a loaded 2021 draft class that will have the likes of Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix, and Isaiah Todd.
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