For Jordan Clarkson, choosing to sign with the New York Knicks wasn’t about contracts, roles or numbers — it was about energy.
“The arena, honestly. Feeling the energy from the fans. Knowing they’re going to let you have it. But when you’re playing great, it’s all love,” Clarkson said on a taping in ‘The Roommates’ podcast — hosted by his newest teammates in superstar Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart — per the New York Post.
He added: “At the end of the day, I just want to feel the energy. Get to play with y’all.”
Speaking for the first time since his bolt to the Big Apple, the 33-year-old recalled the moment his agent, Rich Paul, asked where he wanted to go after finalizing a buyout with the Utah Jazz.
[ALSO READ: Jordan Clarkson to join New York Knicks after finalizing buyout with Utah Jazz—reports]
Clarkson, who was attending a Carlos Alcaraz match at Wimbledon at the time, didn’t hesitate.
“I said, ‘I wanna come to New York.’ It all happened in two minutes. Then I was a Knick,” he shared.
[ALSO READ: Jordan Clarkson acknowledges Knicks signing with optimistic social media post]
Clarkson averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 37 games for the Jazz last season, shooting nearly 50% from the field and 36.2% from deep.
A second round pick by the LA Lakers in 2014, the Filipino-American gunner then got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 and then again to the Utah Jazz in 2019 where he spent his last six seasons.
It is in Salt Lake City where he blossomed and became the 2021 Sixth Man of the Year – becoming the first and only Jazz player to win the award so far.
New York reached its first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years last season before falling in six games to the Indiana Pacers.
And with his arrival to the Knicks, Clarkson said he hopes to build on that success.
“Y’all been doing great things over here. I just want to come in here and enhance what y’all got going on,” he said.
The Knicks also added Guerschon Yabusele this offseason and brought in new head coach Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau.
[ALSO READ: New York Knicks to hire Mike Brown as next head coach—reports]
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.
