Dylan Harper, a rookie guard for the San Antonio Spurs, has Filipino heritage through his mother Maria from Bataan. He will face Jordan Clarkson, a 33-year-old guard for the New York Knicks whose mother Annette Davis is from Angeles City, Pampanga, in the 2026 NBA Finals starting today in San Antonio [1, 2, 3].
The Spurs advanced by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on May 30. Harper said, "It’s a blessing to represent the Philippines, where I’m from. I think Jordan Clarkson and I are doing a great job doing that, but I think the biggest thing is what’s in front of me" [1, 2, 3].
The Knicks reached the Finals by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. This marks Clarkson’s second NBA Finals appearance after his 2018 run with Cleveland. Clarkson has represented the Philippines in the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games, embracing his Filipino roots deeply and becoming a prominent figure in Philippine basketball internationally [1, 2, 3, 4].
San Antonio has not won the NBA title since 2014, when core players Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs to the championship [1, 2, 3]. One Filipino-descended player, either Harper or Clarkson, will become the first to win an NBA title in 2026 [4].
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named MVP for the 2025-26 season but called the campaign a failure after his team’s loss. "I didn’t get where I wanted to go this season. There’s a reason for that," he said during his exit-day press conference on May 31 [3].
The 2026 NBA Finals tips off today in San Antonio, with the Spurs hosting the New York Knicks. Both teams will look to gain an early series advantage as Harper and Clarkson put their Filipino roots on full display on basketball’s biggest stage [1, 2, 3].
