Fil-Am Hopefuls NBA Summer League 2014

Good News for Pinoy Hoop Junkies!

NBA Summer League has officially started with games being played in Orlando and Las Vegas. Yes there are quite a few Filipino-Americans trying to break into the NBA. 

        Jordan Clarkson #5    

        L.A Lakers

• Clarkson is the son of an American father, Mike Clarkson, and a Filipino mother, Annette Davis "I'm a part-Filipino and I'm looking to be the first or one of the Filipino-Americans to play in the NBA. I know the country is backing me up. I hope I will be able to visit them in the future," the 22-year-old said in an interview with Slam Online 
• Born: June 7, 1992 Age; 22 Position G/SG, Wingspan:6'8" Listed Height:6'5"(1.96m) Listed Weight:193 lbs via ESPN.com 
• In his freshman season at Tulsa, Clarkson was named to the 2011 Conference USA All-Freshman team after being named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week four times in 2010–11. In 27 games (nine starts), he averaged 11.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.9 minutes per game. In his sophomore season, he was named to the All-Conference USA first team and the NABC All-District 11 team. In 31 games (all starts), he averaged 16.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 33.9 minutes per game.
• In May 2012, Clarkson transferred to Missouri and subsequently sat out the 2012–13 season due to NCAA transfer rules, he was named to the 2014 All-SEC second team. He was also named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list in January 2014 and won three Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors. In 35 games (all starts), he averaged 17.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 35.1 minutes per game.
• On March 31, 2014, Clarkson declared for the NBA draft, foregoing his final year of college eligibility. On June 26, 2014, Clarkson was selected with the 46th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakerson draft night.In July 2014, he joined the Lakers for the 2014 NBA Summer League. 

           The Lakers has reportedly agreed to pay $1.8 million to the Wizards to acquire the 6'5" point guard.

        "We had him higher on our draft board. Good size, good defender, excels in attacking the rim," 

         said LA Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

         Clarkson said he felt lucky to have been transferred to the Lakers, which has been the home of some of            the NBA's greatest players including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Kobe Bryant. 

         "It's a great feeling knowing I got the country behind me," he said. "It feels great. That's also driving                me, too -- being one of the first. I'm just trying to make a mark here and find a significant role."

         "It's a blessing. I feel like I'm in the right situation," said Clarkson. Jordan Clarkson SO to Pinoy Fans

• As of now he ranks 7th on NBA Summer League KIA Rookie Ladder. The second-round pick with a lot to prove, though with the benefit of playing on a team that needs bodies, had an opening statement of 21, 16 and 19 points in the first three games. Four assists and 10 turnovers cost him the chance to move higher.

Jordan Clarkson Full SL Highlights 2014.07... by Live-24

Aaron Craft #4

Golden State Warriors 

• Father John, who is half-Filipino, is a junior high football and basketball coach and teacher at Fostoria High School. His father is credited for orienting Craft as a defense-minded player.
• Craft mentioned he is one-fourth Filipino as his father John’s mother is pure Filipina. “He’s very humble, God-fearing, focused and sincere,” said Rodejo. “I found him to be quite friendly. He’s a born-again Christian, very open and very dedicated in his relationship with the Lord. When he found out I’m Filipino, he immediately told me he’s 25 percent Filipino.”
• Born: Feb. 12, 1992 Age; 23 Position G/SG, Listed Height:6'2" Listed Weight:195 lbs
• Craft was the sixth man for the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team playing the point guard position as a freshman. He had recorded the fifth highest minutes played on the team. He led his team in Assists (177) and Steals (73). Craft set a school record 15 assists in a game during a NCAA tournament game against George Mason.
• As a sophomore, he was highly decorated and even featured in Time.
• As a sophomore, Craft was the catalyst of the 31-8 Men's Ohio State basketball Team. Craft improved his offensive output as a sophomore and expanded his offensive role. He was an efficient scorer, shooting 50% from the field. But his long-range game could improve, only shooting 35.9%. Craft is not known for his shooting but more for his passing and low number of turnovers, with a 2.15 assist to turnover ratio.
• During his sophomore season Craft averaged 8.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 2.5 SPG.
• In his junior year at Ohio State, Craft passed former Buckeye Guard Jay Burson for most steals in school history with 205.In the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament against Iowa State, he hit a game-winning three with 0.5 seconds left to send the Buckeyes to the Sweet 16.
• Craft is the fourth player in Big Ten history to be a three time first team Academic All-America selection and the third athlete in Division I history to repeat as Division I Men's Basketball Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.
• After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Craft participated in the 2014 NBA Summer League, joining the Philadelphia 76ers for the Orlando session and theGolden State Warriors for the Las Vegas session.
• Former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft was not selected in the 2014 NBA Draft but the Buckeyes standout has managed to turn some heads with his play on the Golden State Warriors entry into the Vegas Summer League.
• While a spot within the Warriors backcourt may be tough for Craft to crack his performance has surely caught the eyes of the numerous front office members from various franchises that are taking in the action from the campus of UNLV. The next opportunity to watch Craft and the Warriors summer league entry will come in the Vegas Summer League tournament which starts on July 16th. He recently battle it out against fellow Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson where he scored a couple of 3's to make take the game closer even taking the lead for the Warriors but the latter tipped-in the winning basket.
• Sam Amico @SamAmicoFSO
• Follow
  For you Ohio St fans, Aaron Craft looking good for Warriors summer team: 7 ppg, 2.3 spg, plus-6 PER. LaQuinton Ross (LAL) 9 pts in lone game

  9:51 AM - 15 Jul 2014
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Stephen Holt  #11

Atlanta Hawks

• Son of Greg and Filipina Mother Jackie Holt ... father, Greg, played college basketball at the University of Portland...has a younger sister, Ilyssa, who signed to play soccer at Saint Mary's beginning in the fall of '2014.
• Lettered four consecutive seasons at Saint Mary's ... team captain as a senior ... finished 10th in career scoring at SMC with 1,370 points ... fell just one shy of the school record for career steals with 173 to finish second ... set two single-game records at Saint Mary's:  free throw percentage (12-for-12 vs. Akron, 2013) and steals (9 vs. College of Idaho, 2010) ... Also entered school's career top-10 in 3-point attempts (9th, 396), made free throws (4th, 401), attempted free throws (7th, 495), free throw percentage (10th, .808), assists (10th, 305), steals average (10th, 1.36), games played (t5th, 127), games started (7th, 95) ... team went 102-33 in his four seasons, won at least 23 games, appeared in the post season each year (2 NCAA, 2 NIT), won two West Coast Conference regular-season and one WCC Tournament titles.
• Playing in his first match in the 2014 NBA Las Vegas Summer League, Fil-Am Atlanta Hawks hopeful Stephen Holt shot a perfect game, but his effort were not enough to carry the club as they lost their opening game via a 90-74 decision to the Washington Wizards Sunday morning (Manila time).
  Although not scoring as many points as fellow Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson, who had 21 for the Lakers the day before, the former Saint Mary’s player made all of his field goal attempts, including two three-pointers, as he finished with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting from the floor.
  Holt also added two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 13 minutes of action off the bench.
  The Hawks will square off against the NBA D-League selection on Monday, July 14 (Manila time) for the team’s next assignment in the 2014 Las Vegas Summer League.
• Holt Impresses Hawks with Hot Shooting

Good luck to you all! Mabuhay!