Jordan Clarkson’s journey has been a long one. LA Lakers were on a downfall and those were the dawn years of Kobe Bryant. Clarkson was drafted as 46th Pick in Round 2 by the Washington Wizards and traded to the Lakers which is one of the last picks in the NBA and rarely some players survive in the NBA when they are drafted this late. He has a rare feat of playing with both Kobe Bryant at the start of his career with the Lakers and then when he got drafted to Cleveland Cavaliers for a season, he played with LeBron James.
It was difficult for a player like Clarkson to embrace the bench role. The player who started almost 70+ games in his second year in the NBA was moved to the bench, the move 1st initiated by Luke Walton when he coached the LA Lakers.
Clarkson Mentions - It was a process,” “I just said, this is who I’m going to be. I’m just going to come in here, I’m going to impact the game with the minutes that are given to me, I’m going to play my role and, and I’m going to do it well.
Currently playing 2nd season with the Utah Jazz, he was brought in the squad to give important off the bench minutes for the team. Playing- second to Donovan Mitchell, Jordan gracefully accepted this role and never disappointed. Clarkson averaged 18.4 points off the bench in the 68 games he played with improving the points from 15.6 the last season with Jazz. Jazz have managed to clinch 1st seed this season in a stacked Western Conference and the duo of Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson has been the key.
Ernie Johnson: "How many Jazz players have won 6th Man of the Year?"
Jordan Clarkson: "Zero."
Joe Ingles: "One."
*Clarkson confused*
Ernie Johnson: "Who's the one?"
Joe Ingles: >>>
After winning the 6th Man of the Year Award, Clarkson mentions - If the Sixth Man of the Year award comes and I don’t get it, I don’t need the validation because my teammates, coaching staff and a lot of my peers gave me that,” Clarkson said last month. “They’re telling me, ‘I respect what you do’ and all of that. So, I know that goes a long way as well. But it’s something I want to get accomplished one of these years. Hopefully, it’s this year.
Jordan signed a 4-year deal of a whopping $52 million to stay with the Jazz is one of the largest contracts given to a 6th Man in the squad but has been rewarding on to the team. Let’s note down the improvements he made in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
2019 – 20 Season
Games | Minutes | Points | Assists | Rebounds | Steals | Field Goal % | 3 PT% |
42 | 24.7 | 15.6 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 46.2 | 36.6 |
2020-21 Season
Games | Minutes | Points | Assists | Rebounds | Steals | Field Goal % | 3 PT% |
68 | 26.7 | 18.4 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 42.5 | 34.7 |
Runner ups for the 6th Man of the Year
1. Joe Ingles
2. Derrick Rose
