MANILA, PHILIPPINES, May 20, 2015 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke and NBA Legend Horace Grant will visit the Philippines to celebrate the NBA Playoffs with Filipino fans. The Oklahoma City Thunder dance team – the Thunder Girls – and Charlotte Hornets mascot Hugo the Hornet will also make appearances and interact with fans.
NBA Cafe Manila will host two NBA Playoffs viewing parties for Filipino fans, showcasing the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. Clarkson and Burke will attend viewing parties for Games 2 and 3 on May 22 and 24 (Philippines time), with Grant joining for Game 3. Game starts at 9 AM, doors open at 8 AM. Clarkson, Burke and Grant will also conduct an NBA Cares basketball clinic for 60 underprivileged local youth from Project Pearls – a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help underprivileged children lead a better life through education – and make an appearance at the NBA Store on May 23.
About the Players:
Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers
“As a proud Fil-Am, I am really looking forward to my upcoming visit to the Philippines. The Pinoy fans have been very supportive of me all year long, and I can’t wait to thank them in person.”
Photo taken from nba.com
Jordan Clarkson was drafted 46th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft and was named to the 2014-15 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Clarkson ranked second among rookies in points per game (11.9), third in assists per game (3.6) and free throw percentage (.829), fourth in field goal percentage (.448), and 13th in rebounds per game (3.2).
Trey Burke of Utah Jazz
“The NBA Playoffs have been tremendous so far, and I can’t wait to watch the Conference Finals with arguably the most passionate basketball fans in the world.”
Photo taken from nba.com
Trey Burke was drafted ninth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft and was named to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Burke averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game in his sophomore season and was selected to participate in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star 2015 in New York City.
Horace Grant, NBA Legend and four-time NBA Champion
“I have been eager to return to the Philippines since my first visit in 2011. I still remember the fans’ passion and deep knowledge of basketball and the NBA. There is no better way to celebrate the game than to share the excitement of the NBA Playoffs with these Filipino fans.”
Photo taken from nba.com
Horace Grant is a four-time NBA Champion (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 with the Chicago Bulls; 2000-01 with the Los Angeles Lakers) and a former NBA All-Star (1994). Grant previously visited the Philippines in 2011 for NBA 3X Philippines.
Want to meet your idols?
Fans can reserve their spot to attend the viewing parties, meet with the NBA players, and win exclusive NBA-themed prizes. Visit www.nba.com/nbacafe and follow NBA Cafe Manila on Facebook and Twitter for more information on the viewing party. For inquires, call 556-1683 now!
For all things NBA, visit www.nba.com and follow them on and Twitter.
About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, which is available in 60 million U.S. homes, and NBA.com, which recorded 26.9 billion page views during the 2013-14 season, with more than half of all visitors originating from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 820 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $242 million to charity, completed more than 3 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 915 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.
About NBA Cares
NBA Cares is the league’s global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA’s mission of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated more than $242 million to charity, completed more than 3 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 915 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play, in 26 countries and territories on five continents. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Special Olympics, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Share Our Strength and GLAAD.
