ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — A fun and probably unique fact about new Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson: He was teammates with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant after he was named after Michael Jordan.
And while he might possess some of their confidence, Clarkson, unlike that unmatched trio of basketball superstardom, comes off the bench while specializing in fitting into a dynamic — rather than dominating it like the Kobes or LeBrons.
“I’ll be able to fit anywhere. Put me anywhere in the world and I’ll be good,” Clarkson said in an interview with The Post. “I think that’s just me. No matter where you put me, I’ll accept it for what it is. I enjoy the experience.”
Clarkson did that in Cleveland, where he joined a team that had advanced to three straight Finals and helped them get to another.
He did that in Utah, where he joined a roster that had finished fifth in the West and helped them reach No. 1 within two seasons.
Now, with the Knicks, he’s coming off the bench for a team with championship aspirations after its run to the 2025 conference finals.
It’s a welcomed development after Clarkson’s last two seasons with the Jazz, which were defined by his DNPs and lots of losing.
He wants back in the playoffs.
“That’s something you chase. That’s a different high, man, if you want to put it like that,” said Clarkson, who scored seven points in the Knicks’ 113-104 preseason win over the 76ers on Saturday. “The level of detail, every play matters. I really want to get back there and I want for sure to take every step day to day, but Coming here, one of the reasons why is I wanted to compete in the playoffs and be on a winning team that’s playing for something,” he said.
Still, there are questions about whether Clarkson has fallen off at 33 and after two lost seasons.
Those won’t be answered until much deeper into the regular season, and the two preseason contests here — victories over the Sixers — provided glimpses of the good and bad.
- He shot just 1-for-6 from beyond the arc, including an air ball in Game 1, without much hesitancy to launch the next one.
- The aggressiveness and confidence worked on 2-pointers, of which Clarkson converted at a 63 percent rate.
- He broke down the defense twice Saturday for highlight assists to Mitchell Robinson.
- He’s committed three turnovers in 28 combined minutes.
It figures to be an up-and-down experience with Clarkson, who doesn’t seem to dwell on the previous attempt or his role.
After all, he signed up for the Knicks in June before knowing who the Knicks were hiring as head coach. Clarkson always believes he’ll fit in, regardless.
“It wasn’t like they were shipping out the whole team and starting over,” Clarkson said. “So being familiar with the guys [on the Knicks], that kind of made the decision for me.
“I always look at the brighter side of it.”
