NBA
JC
#0

Jordan Clarkson

Guard · New York Knicks · 6'5", 194 lb · Born Jun 7, 1992 · Tampa, Florida · Drafted 46th overall, 2014
2026 Champion6th Man of Year (2021)🇵🇭 Gilas PilipinasMicrowave scorer
NBANew York KnicksGuards
Compare:vs Brunsonvs Alvaradovs Hartvs Townsvs Shametvs Bridges
In short

Jordan Clarkson is a veteran microwave scorer for the 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks and the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Of Filipino heritage, he is a star for Gilas Pilipinas and the Philippine national team. A second-round pick in 2014, he scored off the bench for the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Jazz before signing with New York in 2025 and winning his first title as a veteran depth piece.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceSat, Nov 14
vsOrlando MagicSwitch-heavy
Proj. points
8.5
range 5.8–11.2
Line 8.5
51%
to go over
Team win
61%
113–111
Poi 8.5 Lean overReb 1.8 Lean underAss 1.3 Lean underPRA 11.6 Lean over
Likely on himJalen Suggs· 84 Perimeter DStrong defender
5+ pts88%10+ pts31%

Model lines Clarkson at 8.5 pts (range 5.8–11.2) vs a 8.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (51%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Clarkson
The Clarkson Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A Sixth Man of the Year and Filipino basketball icon who sacrificed his game to win a ring in New York.

A second-round pick in 2014, Clarkson became a premier bench scorer, winning 2021 Sixth Man of the Year with Utah.

🏫 Missouri · 46th, 2014🏆 6th Man 2021

Of Filipino heritage, he became a star for Gilas Pilipinas and, with Jeremy Lin, formed the NBA's first Asian-American backcourt in 2015.

🇵🇭 Gilas PilipinasHistoric backcourt

He signed with the Knicks in 2025 as a microwave scorer and accepted a reduced, team-first role.

Signed NYK, 2025Sacrificial vet

In 2026 he won his first NBA championship — the ring that a decade of bench scoring had never delivered.

🏆 2026 championFirst ring
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
8.6
2025-26
RPG
1.8
per game
APG
1.3
per game
FG%
.451
.327 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A veteran instant-offense scorer and Filipino basketball icon — a bench bucket-getter who won a ring in New York.

Jordan Taylor Clarkson was born in Tampa, Florida to an African-American father and a Filipina-American mother, and holds dual U.S.-Philippine citizenship. A second-round pick in 2014 out of Missouri, he became one of the league's premier bench scorers, winning Sixth Man of the Year with Utah in 2021 — the first Jazz player to do so.

After stops with the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Jazz, he signed with the Knicks in 2025 on a veteran-minimum deal to be a microwave scorer off the bench. His role fluctuated, but he adapted to a sacrificial, team-first approach and won his first NBA championship in 2026.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Clarkson is one of the most beloved figures in Filipino basketball. Through his mother's family — his grandmother was from Bacolor, Pampanga — he embraced his heritage and became a star for Gilas Pilipinas, averaging 24-plus points at the 2018 Asian Games and 26.0 at the 2023 FIBA World Cup as a naturalized player. In 2015 he and Jeremy Lin formed the first Asian-American starting backcourt in NBA history.

On the court his identity has long been instant offense — a score-first bench guard with a Skills Challenge title and a Sixth Man award. The 2026 run asked him to sacrifice, accepting a smaller, defense-and-effort role on a champion, and he adapted to win the ring that had eluded him.

PERSONALITY

The person

A confident, instant-offense bench scorer and Filipino basketball icon — a bucket-getter who sacrificed for a ring.

Microwave scorer2021 Sixth Man of the Year; instant offense off the bench.
Filipino iconA star for Gilas Pilipinas; dual U.S.-Philippine citizen.
Adaptable vetAccepted a reduced, team-first role to win the 2026 title.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Bench Scorer · Microwave
Temperament
Spark
Leadership
58/100
Scoring55
Playmaking47
Rebounding38
Perimeter D64
Rim protection20
Spacing58
Athleticism70
Clutch61
a microwave bench scorer
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Instant offense, evolved

Clarkson's career calling card is scoring in bunches off the bench — a Sixth Man award and a reputation as a fearless shot-maker. On the 2026 Knicks his role fluctuated, and after a cold stretch he was briefly benched, but he returned with better shot selection and defensive effort, accepting an emergency-depth role on a champion rather than a featured one.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-267217.88.61.81.3.451.327

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2021NBA Sixth Man of the Year — the first Utah Jazz player to win it
2015Formed the NBA's first Asian-American starting backcourt with Jeremy Lin
2026Won his first NBA championship as a veteran bench scorer with the Knicks

Hardware

1×
NBA Champion (2026)
1×
Sixth Man of the Year (2021)
1×
Skills Challenge winner (2023)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A veteran microwave scorer and champion — bench offense and experience for the Knicks.

A veteran on a minimum deal, Clarkson offers instant scoring off the bench and championship experience. His role is matchup-dependent, but his shot-making and adaptability are useful depth for a title team.

Bench scoringHigh
Shot creationStrong
DefenseImproved
Veteran valueChampion

Contract

Role
Bench scorer veteran
Ring
2026 champion
Age
34 veteran
Bottom line

A Sixth Man of the Year and Filipino icon who sacrificed his game for a ring. Instant bench offense and hard-won championship experience for the Knicks.

FAQ

Quick answers

Does Jordan Clarkson play for the Philippine national team?

Yes — of Filipino heritage, he's a star for Gilas Pilipinas, averaging 26.0 points at the 2023 FIBA World Cup as a naturalized player.

Has Jordan Clarkson won Sixth Man of the Year?

Yes — in 2021 with Utah, the first Jazz player ever to win the award; he won his first NBA title with the Knicks in 2026.

How did Jordan Clarkson join the Knicks?

He reached a buyout with Utah in June 2025 and signed with New York on a veteran-minimum deal as a bench scorer.