Utah Jazz swingman Jordan Clarkson decided to stir the pot well after most Americans had eaten supper. Clarkson asked a simple question about the ABC News 2024 Presidential Debates which immediately drew strong opinions and sharp divides from X, formerly Twitter, users.
Predicting the election is an exercise almost as difficult as predicting the Jazz's season record. The grading spectrum of the two American Presidential candidates varies among votes like grades for the Jazz's free agency acquisitions. Gauging how fans felt about Clarkson asking a judgment-call question during the 2024 Presidential Debates between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was far simpler.
About 80% of the first 150 comments were in favor of Harris. Several commenters defended Trump but even more were in favor of the mute button. Just a couple evoked the legendary 2015-16 Warriors to describe how well they felt Harris was doing compared to Trump.
Jazz's Jordan Clarkson keeping it real
Clarkson is not just jumping into the fray to fire up emotions. The 32-year-old has been outspoken and engaged in many community improvement ventures over the years. He was leading marches in July 2020 in the wake of George Floyd's death for instance.
“Everybody that’s saying ‘Shut up and dribble,’ maybe they should shut up and go look at themselves in the mirror,” Clarkson declared. “Something’s got to change. This is a problem that everybody’s noticing…Really think to yourself, ‘Man, there is something wrong.’ You got to face it.”
Social justice advocacy was one reason Clarkson wanted to play out the season in the NBA/Disney Orlando Bubble during the pandemic.
“I know a lot of players have agendas and things that they want to put out, using the platform in Orlando,” he said. “And it’s a plan that has to be executed well so that everybody can get the message. Everybody can still be affecting and still changing, making this happen.”
Clarkson's charitable ways go past the pandemic, including the LA84 program, helping fix up a vandalized food truck, and handing out Thanksgiving dinners.
His social media questions are a bit more divisive but that's not Clarkson's fault. It was just a simple question with no opinions after all.