The basketball-crazed Philippines will have a champion after NBA Finals
Clarkson and Harper will ensure a player of Filipino heritage wins an NBA title for the first time, with the Knicks and Spurs starting a best-of-seven series.
- On Wednesday, June 3, the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs tip off the 2026 NBA Finals, guaranteeing the first Filipino-American player in league history will be crowned champion.
- Knicks veteran Jordan Clarkson and Spurs rookie Dylan Harper both trace their Filipino heritage through their mothers, marking a significant milestone for the basketball-obsessed Philippines.
- Clarkson reached the 2018 NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Harper has emerged as a key rotation player, averaging 13.1 points and shooting 52.5% from the field across 17 playoff games.
- "I think me and him get to do something really special," Harper said of representing their shared heritage on basketball's biggest stage alongside Clarkson.
- San Antonio enters the series as 1/2 favorites to win the championship, while the Knicks are priced at 13/8 as they seek their first title since 1973.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Knicks' Clarkson, Spurs' Harper proud to represent PH in NBA Finals
MANILA, Philippines – As Jordan Clarkson returns to the NBA Finals, there is also a player of Filipino descent on the opposing team who is gunning for a historic championship. And that means for the first time, a player of Filipino heritage will be crowned an NBA champion as Clarkson and the New York Knicks battle Dylan Harper and the San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven title clash starting on Wednesday, June 3 (Thursday, June 4, Manila time…
From Manila to the mountaintop: Why an NBA championship for Jordan Clarkson or Dylan Harper will mean everything to the Philippines
Jordan Clarkson's journey has shown Filipino players that they can belong on basketball's biggest stage, while Dylan Harper's emergence suggests they can also become stars there.
Clarkson, Harper embrace shot at making Philippine history in NBA finals
When the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs tip off the 2026 NBA Finals, Jordan Clarkson and Dylan Harper will become the first Filipino-Americans to face each other on basketball's biggest stage.
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