Jordan Clarkson proudly carries Philippine flag at Knicks title parade

MANILA, Philippines, June 20 ------ Newly crowned NBA champion Jordan Clarkson proudly showcased his Filipino roots during the New York Knicks’ championship parade through the streets of Manhattan.

Photos and videos from the celebration showed Clarkson draped in the Philippine flag as the Knicks marked their first NBA title in 53 years before thousands of fans clad in blue and orange. “Shoutout to the Knicks fam in the Philippines,” the Knicks said on their Instagram account.

The parade saw the Knicks travel from Bowling Green at the southern tip of Manhattan to City Hall along the famed “Canyon of Heroes.” The team was showered with 2,500 pounds of recycled confetti, according to city officials, as part of the traditional ticker-tape parade whose origins date back to the late 1800s.

Clarkson became the first Filipino-American player to win an NBA championship after New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals. The championship series also featured fellow Filipino-American Dylan Harper of the Spurs. “Definitely inspiring to the Filipino-Americans and Filipinos all around the country,” Clarkson said before the title series.

Clarkson previously represented the Philippines on the international stage, suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2023 Fiba World Cup.

Source: inquirer.net