Jordan Clarkson is open to return to Gilas Pilipinas to see action in the 20th Asian Games.

In an interview with Mark Medina of Essentially Sports, the 33-year-old New York Knicks gunner stressed that he is ready to run it back with Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games with the long-term goal of qualifying in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

If ever he reaches a deal with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the Gilas Pilipinas management team headed by program director Alfrancis Chua and head coach Tim Cone, there’s a strong possibility that Clarkson will be able to join the national squad in its Asian Games title defense.

For one, the Asian Games organizers are imposing a “passport-only” that will make him eligible to play together with naturalized player Justin Brownlee, Ange Kouame and, possibly, Bennie Boatwright as well as Filipino-Americans Quentin Millora-Brown and Mike Phillips.

Abroad-based stars like Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo are also expected to get a call-up as well as local stars June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez and Chris Newsome, paving the way for the formation of the strongest Gilas Pilipinas lineup ever assembled.

Aside from that, the Asian Games will be held during the off-season of the National Basketball Association from 19 September to 4 October, making Clarkson and other stars available for national duties.

“I’m looking into it,” Clarkson said in an online report from New York.

“I know it’s the Asian Games this summer. Hopefully, I get a chance to compete. I want to, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Clarkson has been a regular fixture in the Gilas roster since competing in the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018. In fact, he played in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers as well as the FIBA Basketball World Cup that the country hosted in 2023, where he emerged as the second-best scorer behind Luka Doncic of Slovenia with 26.0 per game with 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 rebounds in 35.9 minutes of action.

He added that he wants to lead the Filipinos to the Summer Games.

“For us and for me, not making the Olympics and not fully accomplishing what we want to accomplish in the World Cup,” he said, adding that representing the country of his mother in the Olympics that would be held right in their backyard in the United States is such a big deal for him.

“Reaching the goal of having a chance to make the Olympics, I think, is a big thing for me and to represent the country.”

Gilas is expected to have a tough road to title repeat as China is reportedly determined to wage payback as well as silver medalist Jordan, Lebanon and, of course, host country Japan, which has a couple of NBA players in the lineup like Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers and Yuki Kawamura of the Chicago Bulls.