Nothing less is expected from the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Gilas Pilipinas has been playing catch-up in terms of preparation for the FIBA World Cup. But with Jordan Clarkson in the fold, things are expected to exponentially improve for the national team.
It looks like that's what already transpired in the past days with Gilas pool members sharing how the Utah Jazz guard influenced the recent training sessions.
According to AJ Edu, Clarkson elevated the level of play once he stepped foot on the court.
"I think when you have high-level players join, it elevates everyone else, especially someone like an NBA player like Jordan," Edu told Noli Eala on Radyo5's Power and Play.
"Everyone wants to meet those standards. It's impacted us in a good way. The confidence has gone up, the level has gone up in general."
Calvin Oftana doubled down on Edu's take.
Having played with Clarkson himself during the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers window, the TNT Tropang Giga has a firsthand experience of the Clarkson effect.
"Knowing Jordan Clarkson, he can produce numbers. Siyempre, NBA calibre ‘yung tao. Knowing JC na nakasama ko na dati he can produce numbers, it can help us and the team," he said.
"It’s a big thing for us and we’re happy na nandyan na siya para makuha ‘yung sistema namin. We need the chemistry, hopefully maka-adjust agad."
There was never a doubt about JC's impact. Now the remaining thing to do is further smoothen his chemistry with his Gilas brothers. Coach Chot Reyes and the rest of the national team staff only have 13 days to do that before they open their FIBA World Cup bid against the Dominican Republic on August 25.