Wimbledon phone call set off Jordan Clarkson’s move to Knicks, he says
Clarkson says a two-minute call with agent Rich Paul during Wimbledon led to his July signing with New York; he cited Madison Square Garden's energy and the chance to play with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.
Jordan Clarkson said a brief phone call with his agent at Wimbledon launched his decision to join the New York Knicks this summer.
The 33-year-old guard told a crowd Saturday night that he was watching Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon when agent Rich Paul called and asked, "Where you wanna go?" Clarkson said he answered, "I wanna come to New York," and that Paul immediately reached out to the Knicks. "It all happened in two minutes," Clarkson said during a live taping of "The Roommates" podcast hosted by teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
Clarkson's comments were his first public remarks since he joined the Knicks in July on a minimum contract after negotiating a buyout from the Utah Jazz. The appearance took place before hundreds of rain-soaked Knicks fans and was conducted in front of his new backcourt teammates.
Asked why he wanted New York, Clarkson pointed to Madison Square Garden and the atmosphere Knicks games produce. "The arena [MSG], honestly," he said. "Feeling the energy from the fans. Knowing they're going to let you have it if you're playing like s–t. But when you're playing great, it's all love. At the end of the day, I just want to feel the energy. Get to play with y'all [Brunson and Hart]."
The quick exchange at Wimbledon followed Clarkson's decision to seek a buyout from the Jazz. Officials finalized offseason roster moves in July that brought Clarkson to New York, where he signed a veteran's minimum deal to provide scoring depth behind the starters.
Brunson and Hart, co-hosts of the podcast, helped facilitate the public introduction, and the event gave fans their earliest extended look at Clarkson's reasons for joining the team. He emphasized familiarity with the Knicks' expectations for veteran role players and the chance to contribute in a high-pressure market.
Clarkson has been a rotation player in the league for more than a decade and has stepped into sixth-man and scoring roles with previous teams. The Knicks acquisition in July was framed by team officials as adding a proven scorer and veteran presence to a backcourt that will rely on Brunson as a primary ballhandler and Hart as a two-way wing.
New York's move to add Clarkson followed a broader pattern of teams seeking experienced scorers who can change games off the bench. The player's account of the recruitment — a short phone call amid an international tennis tournament that precipitated a rapid outreach and agreement — underscored how quickly roster decisions can come together in the modern NBA landscape.
Clarkson's arrival adds bench scoring and backcourt depth as the Knicks prepare for the regular season. He has said he is motivated by the pressure and reward that come with playing in New York and by the opportunity to play alongside Brunson and Hart while contributing to the team's offensive options.
The Knicks have not publicly detailed a specific role for Clarkson beyond standard rotation and bench assignments. Clarkson's public comments Saturday clarified his personal motivations for the move and provided fans with his account of how the signing unfolded.