MANILA – Jordan Clarkson is yet to join Gilas Pilipinas in their build-up for the 2023 FIBA World Cup later this month, but head coach Chot Reyes bared that the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year has assured him of his preparedness to spearhead the squad in their campaign.

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“Okay siya, he has accepted it. He knows what we want from him, and I think he’s up for the challenge,” said Reyes in an interview with Noli Eala’s Power & Play Podcast on Saturday.

“Number one, nag uusap kami, we’ve been in constant communication. We’re talking about our offense, our concepts, our plans, and what his role is going to be,” he said.

“He has assured me that he’s in pretty good shape, he’s been working out, he’s working on his skills, so I think the number one thing that I can expect is that he’s in basketball shape.”

The Utah Jazz star guard was supposed to join the team in China on August 6, but due to visa issues, Clarkson would instead meet the team when they return to the country on August 8.

“He was supposed to come here [in China] to join us. Except may problema siya sa visa, so dederetso na lang siya, magkikita-kita na lang kami sa Manila on August 8,” Reyes revealed.

• Jordan Clarkson won't join Gilas in China tourney
• FIBA: Gilas Pilipinas heads to China sans Kai Sotto

“Jordan will meet us there in Manila, and then tuloy-tuloy na kaming magpa-practice na kami from the 9th moving forward.”

Still, Reyes is confident about how the former Los Angeles Lakers draftee will integrate himself into the team’s system.

“The issue na lang namin is the integration, just getting to know and magkaamuyan,” the former TNT Katropa mentor said. “The good thing is he’s not coming in cold. He’s been with us before. Obviously, he still has to familiarize himself with some players na ngayon lang niya makaka laro, but like I said, he is a world-class NBA player, so hopefully those concerns can be laid to rest.”

After the pocket tournament in China, Clarkson will still have the chance to play tune-up games with Gilas as they are scheduled to go up against Montenegro and Mexico on August 20 and 21, respectively.

They will then start their World Cup campaign on August 25 when they face Dominican Republic on opening day at the Philippine Arena.

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