Jordan Clarkson is one of the hardest workers on the Los Angeles Lakers as he is well known as a gym rat who is constantly working to improve his game. When he was drafted with the No. 46 overall pick by the Washington Wizards in 2014, Clarkson had plenty to prove once his draft rights were traded to the Lakers.
Upon his arrival with the Lakers, Clarkson turned heads around the league and earned the honor of All-Rookie First Team. Clarkson steadily improved his game last season by increasing his three-point percentage from 32 percent to 35 percent efficiency. However, with players like Brandon Ingram and D’Angelo Russell getting so much attention, it becomes easy at times to overlook Clarkson.
Clarkson did not participate in Las Vegas Summer League this year, but he has been hard at work in the gym with Pure Sweat trainer Drew Hanlen.
A video was recently released showing Clarkson knocking down a number of jumpers and now another one showcasing far more is making the rounds as well via The NBPA:
.@JClark5on putting in work with @DrewHanlen on 3-point efficiency, expanding range, changing pace/speeds & creating pic.twitter.com/HiLHJVrEUO
— NBPA (@TheNBPA) August 11, 2016
In the video Clarkson showcases much tighter ball handling and quickness off of the pick-and-roll. One of his biggest weaknesses last season was his inability to create space for a high percentage shot.
In addition to working on his acceleration and ball handling, Clarkson has also focused on extending his range beyond the three point line off the dribble. The reigning two-time MVP Steph Curry is arguably the best three-point shooter in history, and he converts a high percentage of those attempts off the dribble.
No one denies Clarkson’s bright future, and as the leading returning scorer on the team, it isn’t out of the question to think he could lead the team in scoring this year. This may be the season that Clarkson will no longer be overlooked if his hard work in the summer pays off.