Los Angeles Lakers: Who Is Jordan Clarkson?

In light of a tumultuous season, fans were able to find a silver lining in the gray clouds of a 27-55 year sending one of the NBA’s strongest franchises into the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery. Upon making the seventh overall pick, fans were clamoring over the selection of Julius Randle, visualing the next great Los Angeles Lakers big man.

Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers’ brass were not done acquiring pieces to began a new era in Staples Center, as he went into his pockets to buy the 46th pick from the Washington Wizards. The Lakers turned the acquisition into the University of Missouri’s Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson is a 6’5′ point guard born in the Philippines, before spending much of his life in San Antonio. Size, tight ball-handling, and innate ability to get to the basket made him one of the SEC’s best players.

The junior left Missouri after a nice overall season of 18.4 points, three assists, and four rebounds. To top off filling in the stat sheet in all areas, Clarkson shot an efficient 46 percent from the field.

Clarkson’s career began at Tulsa in 2011 before transferring to Mizzou. His performances secured him a spot on Conference USA’s All-Freshman and All-Conference first team in two seasons. Clarkson’s NCAA experience will be a welcome trait to a Lakers team that is seeking young contributors like himself.

On Thursday night, Clarkson looked to become the first  Mizzou prospect since DeMarre Carroll to be selected in the first round. Many scouts had him tabbed as a late first-round selection, but he ended up being bypassed by several teams.

Dropping so far may have come as a surprise to Clarkson, and also provided a piece of motivation. His late selection is another adversity that Clarkson has overcome in his career.

During much of the 2013-14 season, Clarkson dealt with his father’s bout with cancer. He leaned on teammate Jabari Brown, and the Missouri program, while his father got healthier.

Now Clarkson has a chance to be a part of a storied franchise, and play alongside one of the league’s best players in Kobe Bryant. His skills could provide Los Angeles with another building block of the future.

Clarkson looks to participate in the Lakers Summer League, which begins on July 11. With his first NBA experience approaching, he will be looking to prove the doubters of his potential wrong.

If his Summer League goes as expected, Clarkson will become one of the biggest sleepers in this season’s draft.