Jordan Clarkson has played more than 750 games, logged just short of 21,000 minutes and scored a whole lot of buckets. Very few players who enter this prestigious club stay for a decade. Even fewer can do it the way Clarkson has.

With that many miles logged, memories have come and gone for the 33-year-old longtime bench scorer. You’d think a player would remember everything about their first points, right? Their best dunk? Game-winning shots? Yet, at a point for some players, all of these events tend to blend and, at times, are hard to recall on the fly.

So, how much does Clarkson remember about his career? I wanted to find out. Late last week, Clarkson, now on his fourth team as he enters his 12th NBA season, agreed to take the pop quiz, a fun feature I’ve been doing throughout my nine years covering the NBA. The questions ranged from career milestones to coaches over the years, career-high marks and more.

This right here is the ultimate test, one that provokes a trip down memory lane, allows fans to learn more about a player, provides humor and, well, is a good icebreaker.

Enjoy.

(Writer’s note: This has been edited for clarity.)

Who was your first NBA start against (Clarkson began his career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers)?

(Answer: San Antonio Spurs)

Oooh … San Antonio Spurs.

Yep. Easy. What do you remember about that day? Do you remember how you found out you were going to start?

I want to say it was at shootaround. Kobe (Bryant) might have been out. I don’t think Kobe played that night.

Your first NBA basket was a 3. Do you remember who it was against and who passed you the ball?

(Answers: Houston Rockets and Ronnie Price)

Was it the Clippers?

Nope. Right conference, though.

Was it the Pelicans?

Nope. 

I can’t remember. Who was it?

It was Houston.

It was Houston?

Yes, first game of the year.

Dammnnnnnnnnnnn …

Do you remember who passed it?

Was it Jeremy Lin?

Nope. Older player.

Was it Carlos Boozer? No, wait, was it Ronnie Price?

Got it. Do you remember anything about that first basket? Was there an “I scored my first points” moment?

Nah, bro. I don’t really remember it. I may have celebrated a little bit.

Can you name every coach that you’ve played for in order?

(Answer: Byron Scott, Luke Walton, Tyronn Lue, Larry Drew, Quin Snyder, Will Hardy and Mike Brown)

Byron Scott … Luke Walton … Tyronn Lue … Larry Drew … Quin Snyder … Will Hardy and, now, Mike Brown.

You got it. Do you have a favorite coach throughout that time or just one you really got along with on a personal level?

Oooh … nah, I don’t have a favorite. Quin was my guy. Will, too. And Luke. S—, all of them were cool.

You’ve scored 40-plus points four times in your career. Can you name all the teams you did it against?

(Answer: Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers)

Sacramento is the only I remember. Who were the rest?

That was the first time you scored 40. Let me help you: two in the East and one in the West.

I really can’t remember.

It was the Nets, Warriors and 76ers.

Nets, Warriors and 76ers? Damn.

Was the Kings one your favorite? Why is that the only one you remember?

I just remember that game. I think I was about to break a record for most points off the bench in under 25 minutes. They told me during the game. Everyone was telling me to keep shooting. I was passing and trying to win the game.

You hit a game-winning floater when playing for the Lakers to beat Philadelphia in overtime. Who passed you the ball, and who on the 76ers almost blocked it?

(Answers: Wayne Ellington and Ish Smith)

Was it Wayne Ellington who passed it?

Yep. Got it.

Who almost blocked it … I don’t remember.

It was Ish Smith.

That’s right. It was Ish. He got up there.

What I found funny when watching the shot back, you guys really didn’t celebrate. You stared a little, but there wasn’t as much celebration as you’d normally see from a team who won, essentially, at the buzzer. Why was that? I know that was the really, really bad 76ers team.

We really didn’t celebrate, haha. Low-key, it might have been because it was against the bad Philly team, and it went to OT. For me, it was lit. That was my rookie year, right?

Yeah, it was your rookie season.

Your most notable dunk, in my opinion, came when you were in Utah and playing against the Timberwolves. Which two players did you dunk on?

(Answers: Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels)

It was Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels.

Do you think that is your best dunk in the NBA?

That’s tough, but the one against Toronto might have been better.

I thought about asking you to take me back to that one. 

Yeah, that was a good one. I don’t remember who I dunked on.

Last one. Thanks again for doing this. You won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2021. Who won it before and after you?

(Answers: Montrezl Harrell and Tyler Herro)

Damn … I want to say Tyler. Herro won after, right?

Yep.

The year before, it was … Montrezl Harrell?

You got it. What’s that award mean to you?

It’s just validation around the league. It shows my abilities and the love from my peers and coaches.