JAKARTA—He might not have been able to lead the Philippines to a podium finish, but US-based Filipino guard Jordan Clarkson clearly took pride in his first stint for flag and country in the Asian Games.

A long wait — one that took nearly four years — came to an end for Clarkson in this city, as he was given clearance by the NBA to suit up for the Philippines in the Games. He arrived in time to watch the first game against Kazakhstan, a blowout win that propelled the team to the quarterfinals.

Clarkson was quick to jell with the team despite the short preparation time, and coach Yeng Guiao raved about his skill and athleticism, and his basketball IQ. Unfortunately, the Philippines fell short in Clarkson’s first two games with the squad, losing in heartbreakers to China and South Korea.

A triumph over Japan in the classification phase kept the Philippines in the hunt for a fifth-place finish, and Clarkson made sure the country achieved its best ranking in 4 Asian Games editions when he powered the Philippines to a 109-55 rout of Syria on Friday.

• Asian Games: Coach Yeng full of praise for Clarkson — ‘His heart is Filipino’
• Asian Games: ‘Jordan Clarkson show,’ as Philippines routs Syria to claim 5th place

“I just want to say thank you,” Clarkson said in a brief message to the crowd at the GBK Istora on Friday. “It’s been a blessed opportunity to play in the Asian Games.”

“It’s been a great experience, just being able to come out here and support my country and the flag. Thanks for everybody’s support, all the way through,” he added.

Clarkson gave the Filipino fans here something to remember in his last game, as he fired 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting while adding six assists and four rebounds. He showed a little bit of everything — knocking down deep triples and dropping dimes to his teammates, while also finishing an alley-oop from Stanley Pringle in the second quarter.

His father, Mike Clarkson, told reporters afterward that the Cavaliers guard “had a lot of fun” in the Asian Games, which saw him treated like a rock star even by his fellow athletes.

“He felt the pride. He felt the love he was getting, so I’m sure he’ll be back,” Mike said. “I’m sure he’ll be back.”

In an Instagram post, Clarkson backed up his father’s words.

A post shared by Jordan Clarkson (@jordanclarksons) on Aug 31, 2018 at 7:18am PDT

“This experience was one I will never forget,” the 26-year-old wrote. “So blessed to play for the country and represent the flag and the people.”

“I love playing for coach, along with my teammates and brothers, building bonds that will hold strong. Thanks for the opportunity and the support,” he added.

And in what will surely give great hope to the basketball-loving nation, Clarkson closed his message by saying, in all caps: “More to come! Can’t wait for the next time I get to put the colors on!”

Guiao said it was privilege to have competed with Clarkson in the Asiad.

“I’m sure all the Filipinos at home really appreciated his effort,” said the coach. “He made a really great contribution to the team.”

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