Jordan Clarkson’s Surprising Wimbledon Moment That Sparked His Knicks Decision Revealed

When Jordan Clarkson decided to part ways with the Utah Jazz, after agreeing to a buyout, the basketball world was buzzing with speculation about where this seasoned scorer would land next. With offers on the table from various teams, Clarkson’s choice was anything but random — he set his sights on the Big Apple. Interestingly, this pivotal decision came to him while he was soaking in the intensity of Wimbledon, watching Carlos Alcaraz in action. During a rain-soaked chat with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart for The Roommates Podcast, Clarkson revealed how a quick call from his agent, Rich Paul, changed everything. A simple question — “Where you wanna go?” — sparked an immediate answer: New York. And just like that, the Knicks gained a potent weapon. Clarkson’s arrival addresses a glaring hole: last season, New York’s bench was barren of scoring punch. Under new leadership, expect Mike Brown to unleash Clarkson’s talents off the bench, giving the fans at Madison Square Garden the electrifying play they crave. This is more than a signing — it’s a chance for the veteran to reignite his Sixth Man of the Year form and energize a franchise hungry for depth and dynamism. LEARN MORE.

Jordan Clarkson was finally a free agent after agreeing to a buyout with the rebuilding Utah Jazz. The veteran guard had numerous potential landing spots but chose New York — a decision he made while at Wimbledon to watch Carlos Alcaraz, he told Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, during a rain-soaked public taping of The Roommates Podcast in Central Park (as relayed by The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy).

It all started with a call from Clarkson’s agent Rich Paul.

“Where you wanna go?” Paul asked.

“I said, ‘I wanna come to New York,’” Clarkson recalled Saturday night. Paul then reached out to the Knicks to relay Clarkson’s interest.

“It all happened in two minutes,” Clarkson said. “Then I was a Knick.”

Clarkson said the reason he wanted to come to the Knicks was the chance to play at Madison Square Garden and “Feeling the energy from the fans.”

Clarkson fills a desperate need for the Knicks. New York was dead last in the league in bench scoring last season at 21.7 points a game (part of that was then coach Tom Thibodeau leaning so hard into his starters). New coach Mike Brown will increase bench minutes and will give Clarkson the green light to light up the scoreboard. The former Sixth Man of the Year is going to be asked to reprise his role as a high-level bench scorer.