DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan
Born	July 21, 1988 (age 38)
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Years active	2008–present
Known for	NBA player for the New Orleans Pelicans, former Los Angeles Clippers player, NBA All-Star

Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. (born July 21, 1988) is a professional American basketball athlete currently playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He competed in collegiate basketball for one season with the Texas A&M Aggies.

Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft, Jordan spent a decade with the Clippers franchise. In July 2018, he entered free agency and signed with the Dallas Mavericks. By January 2019, he was traded to the New York Knicks, and later that July, he joined the Brooklyn Nets. In September 2021, Jordan was traded to the Detroit Pistons, reached a contract buyout agreement, and subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. After being waived by the Lakers in March 2022, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Jordan then agreed to terms with the Denver Nuggets in July 2022, capturing his first NBA championship during the 2023 season.

A three-time member of the All-NBA and twice honored on the NBA All-Defensive Team, Jordan led the league in rebounding on two occasions. His inaugural selection as an NBA All-Star came in 2017. As of now, Jordan holds NBA records for the highest career field goal percentages in both regular season (67.4%) and postseason play (67.0%). He also ranks as the franchise leader for the Clippers in games played, total rebounds, and blocks. Additionally, Jordan earned a gold medal representing Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

High school career

Jordan attended Episcopal High School through his junior year, where he averaged 15.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game as a sophomore; these numbers improved to 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.0 blocks during his junior year. For his senior season, he transferred to Christian Life Center Academy, posting averages of 26.1 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 8.1 blocks per contest. His accolades included third-team Parade All-American recognition, first-team All-Greater Houston honors from the Houston Chronicle, and two selections to all-state teams. At Christian Life Center Academy, Jordan set a school record with 20 blocks in a single game and achieved a personal best of 37 points scored.

Ranked eighth overall nationally by Rivals.com, second among centers across the country, and regarded as Texas's top prep player, Jordan garnered recruitment interest from programs such as Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, and Kentucky.

In summer 2007, Jordan represented Team USA at the Under-19 World Championships held in Serbia, averaging nine minutes per game while helping lead the team to a second-place finish with an 8–1 record.

College career

Jordan committed to Texas A&M University, even after head coach Billy Gillispie departed for Kentucky prior to his enrollment. During his freshman year at Texas A&M, he started in 21 out of 35 games and averaged approximately 20 minutes on court per game with statistics including 7.9 points, six rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per contest. He led the team with a field goal percentage of 61.7% but struggled at the free-throw line with a rate of just 43.7%. His efforts earned him a place on the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. Following this single collegiate season, Jordan declared for the 2008 NBA draft.

Pre-draft assessments described Jordan as an "exceptional physical specimen" exhibiting significant defensive promise and athletic potential; however, concerns were raised about his productivity levels, fundamental skills, and footwork—leading some analysts to categorize him as having "high bust potential." Draft forecasts varied: draftexpress.com projected him as a mid-first-round pick at number 16 by the Philadelphia 76ers, while other mock drafts placed him around picks ten or eleven by teams like the New Jersey Nets or Indiana Pacers, highlighting his ability to run effectively on fast breaks; ESPN analyst Chad Ford anticipated a later selection near number 28 by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Initial phase (2008–2013)

Jordan was chosen as the 35th pick overall by the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2008 NBA draft. Due to injuries among the Clippers' frontcourt players, he earned a spot in the starting lineup on January 19, 2009, facing the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he tallied six blocks, ten rebounds, and eight points over 34 minutes. Just two days afterward, he achieved a personal best by scoring 23 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, including an impressive 10 dunks—an accomplishment matched in the past decade only by Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal.

On December 11, 2011, Jordan agreed to a $43 million offer sheet with the Golden State Warriors, but the Clippers promptly matched the offer the following day to keep him on their roster. For the 2011–12 season, he switched his jersey number from 9 to 6. On December 25, 2011, Jordan set a new career record with eight blocks during a 105–86 victory against Golden State.

Throughout the 2012–13 season, Jordan’s free-throw shooting declined to 38.6%, marking one of his lowest percentages. Nonetheless, he led the league by shooting 64.3% from the field and completed all 82 games for the first time in his career.

Recognition for All-NBA and Defensive excellence (2013–2016)

In 2013, Jordan was invited to participate in Team USA's minicamp. On November 29 of that year, he established a new personal best with nine blocks versus the Sacramento Kings. Then, on January 3, 2014, he scored a career-high of 25 points in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He also led the league in rebounding that season with an average of 13.6 boards per game.

On April 29, 2014, Jordan became the first NBA player since Tim Duncan in 2008 to post at least 25 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks in a single playoff contest.

On February 9, 2015, he recorded 22 points along with a career-best 27 rebounds during a win against Dallas. On March 13 of that year, Jordan made his inaugural three-point shot. Later, on May 21, he was named to the All-NBA third team. He joined an exclusive group as only the fifth player in NBA history to average at least ten points, fifteen rebounds, one steal, and two blocks per game throughout a regular season—the first since Moses Malone achieved this feat in 1983.

Although Jordan initially agreed verbally to a four-year, $80 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks on July 3, 2015, he reconsidered after discussions with Clippers representatives. Subsequently, on July 8, he re-signed with Los Angeles on a four-year contract worth $88 million.

On November 4, 2015, Jordan overtook former Clipper Elton Brand as the franchise’s all-time leader in total rebounds by securing his 4,711th board. Later that month on November 30, he posted season highs with 18 points and grabbed 24 rebounds but struggled at the free-throw line—missing an NBA-record-tying total of 22 attempts (making only 12 out of 34), while setting a franchise record for free throw attempts. On January 13, due to pneumonia, Jordan missed a game which ended his streak of playing in 360 consecutive games—the longest active streak across the NBA at that time.

Initial All-Star Honor and Closing Clippers Tenure (2016–2018)

During the 2016–17 campaign, Jordan played a key role in the Clippers' impressive 7–1 league-leading start. He reached a milestone by appearing in his 600th NBA game on November 9, joining franchise icons Randy Smith (715) and Eric Piatkowski (616) as top players in games played for the team. On December 28, he recorded 13 points along with a season-best 25 rebounds in a defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. Jordan posted 24 points and 21 rebounds on January 14, 2017, helping secure a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, then surpassed his personal scoring record by tallying 29 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 19. His first Western Conference All-Star nod came on January 26, 2017, where he also showcased his skills in the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend. Notably, Jordan led the NBA in dunks for four straight seasons from 2013–14 through 2016–17.

In the opening game of the 2017–18 season on October 19, Jordan contributed 14 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in a win against the Lakers. On January 4, 2018, he achieved a then-season-high of 26 points coupled with 17 rebounds facing the Oklahoma City Thunder. He matched Randy Smith’s franchise record of 715 games played on January 24 and surpassed it two days later by appearing in his 716th game. On February 14, Jordan set a new personal best with 30 points, adding 13 boards and four steals during a triumph over the Boston Celtics. He followed that with a performance of 20 points and an impressive 23 rebounds on March 9 in a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jordan averaged an outstanding 17.1 rebounds per contest throughout March 2018, approaching his career high of 17.3 rebounds per game established in March 2015.

Dallas Mavericks Era (2018–2019)

On July 6, 2018, Jordan inked a one-year deal worth $22.9 million with the Dallas Mavericks. He began the season strongly by posting three consecutive double-doubles, becoming the first Maverick to accomplish this feat since Popeye Jones in 1994. On October 28, he tallied 12 points, pulled down 19 rebounds, and set a career-best with nine assists during a loss to the Utah Jazz, marking his sixth double-double over six games. By November 7, Jordan had established a franchise record with eleven straight games securing at least ten rebounds. Among standout moments were three occasions when he grabbed a season-high of 23 rebounds: December 2 versus the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by matchups against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors later that month. His steady rebounding and scoring proved vital to strengthening Dallas’s frontcourt depth throughout the year.

New York Knicks Tenure (2019)

Jordan was traded to the New York Knicks on January 31, 2019, alongside Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews, and two future first-round picks in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee. On March 15, he recorded an effort of 11 points, pulled down 13 rebounds, and matched his career high with nine assists during a 109–83 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Leading Team Statistics (2019–2020)

On July 6, 2019, Jordan agreed to a four-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets, reportedly valued at $40 million. He made his debut on October 23 by contributing two points, three rebounds, and one assist across seventeen minutes in a narrow overtime loss (127–126) against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On November 2, he achieved his first double-double of that season by posting ten points and ten rebounds during a defeat to the Detroit Pistons (113–109). Jordan reached a season-high with twenty rebounds on December 21 while adding twelve points and six assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks (122–112). By February 20, 2020, he notched his tenth double-double of the campaign with fourteen points and fifteen rebounds during an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers (112–104).

On June 29, 2020, Jordan revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and decided to opt out of participating in the season restart. He concluded the 2019–20 NBA season with thirteen double-doubles—his fewest since the 2012–13 NBA season—while still leading Brooklyn in both field goal percentage and average rebounds per game.

Playoff absence (2020–2021)

Jordan made his first appearance for the Nets on December 22, 2020, contributing four points and 11 rebounds in a 125–99 victory over the Golden State Warriors. On January 18, 2021, he achieved a double-double by scoring 12 points and securing 12 rebounds during a narrow 125–123 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. He posted a season-best 14 points along with nine rebounds on March 13 in a triumph over the Detroit Pistons. On April 14, Jordan collected a season-high 14 rebounds in a 117–123 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite these performances, he missed the final 16 games of the regular season and did not participate in the playoffs. Jordan ended the season with just six double-doubles, marking his second-lowest count since his rookie year.

Following center LaMarcus Aldridge’s retirement in April 2021 and subsequent medical clearance by September, Jordan’s role within the Nets diminished. Aldridge’s re-signing with Brooklyn on September 3 indicated a strategic pivot away from Jordan.

Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2022)

On September 3, 2021, Jordan was traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor, but he agreed to a buyout only four days later. Subsequently, on September 9, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers waived him on March 1, 2022.

Philadelphia 76ers (2022)

Jordan joined the Philadelphia 76ers on March 3, 2022, reuniting with former Clippers coach Doc Rivers and teammate James Harden.

Denver Nuggets (2022–2025)

On July 12, 2022, Jordan inked a contract with the Denver Nuggets. He posted a season-high of 17 rebounds on November 22 during a tight 98–97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The Nuggets captured their first-ever NBA championship by winning the 2023 NBA Finals in five games, marking Jordan’s inaugural NBA title as well.

Jordan extended his contract with Denver on July 21, 2023. On November 27, he achieved season-best numbers with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, guiding an injury-riddled Nuggets squad to a 113–104 win against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, alongside fellow ex-Clippers player Reggie Jackson.

He re-signed once more with Denver on July 24, 2024.

New Orleans Pelicans (2025–present)

On October 24, 2025, Jordan agreed to a one-year minimum salary deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Personal life

A devout Christian, Jordan often discusses his faith and emphasizes his connection with Christ. His body art includes several tattoos that reflect his spirituality, featuring biblical passages and personal affirmations of commitment and thankfulness.

Dedicated to environmental sustainability, Jordan adheres to a vegan diet and has hosted a vegan culinary program titled Cooking Clean. His younger sibling, Avery Jordan, pursued professional football in the Canadian Football League.

Player profile

Jordan is recognized as an exceptional rebounder, averaging 10.2 boards per contest and having led the league twice in this category. Defensively dominant in the post, he averages approximately 1.5 blocks each game and has drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Bill Russell. Offensively, he is proficient at put-backs and alley-oops and has led the league in field goal percentage five times. However, his free throw shooting remains a challenge at just 47.5%, making him susceptible to the Hack-a-Shaq strategy. Moreover, Jordan is noted for his remarkable durability, having appeared in 360 consecutive games at one stage of his career.

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 53 || 13 || 14.6 || .633 || || .385 || 4.5 || .2 || .2 || 1.1 || 4.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 70 || 12 || 16.2 || .605 || .000 || .375 || 5.0 || .3 || .2 || .9 || 4.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 80 || 66 || 25.6 || .686 || .000 || .452 || 7.2 || .5 || .5 || 1.8 || 7.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | style="background:#cfecec;"| 66* || style="background:#cfecec;"| 66* || 27.2 || .632 || .000 || .525 || 8.3 || .3 || .5 || 2.0 || 7.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || 24.5 ||style="background:#cfecec;"| .643* || || .386 || 7.2 || .3 || .6 || 1.4 || 8.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 82|| style="background:#cfecec;"| 82*|| 35.0|| style="background:#cfecec;"| .676*|| || .428|| style="background:#cfecec;"| 13.6*|| .9|| 1.0|| 2.5|| 10.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 82|| style="background:#cfecec;"| 82*|| 34.4|| style="background:#cfecec;"| .710*|| .250|| .397|| style="background:#cfecec;"| 15.0*|| .7|| 1.0|| 2.2|| 11.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 77|| 77|| 33.7|| style="background:#cfecec"|.703*|| .000|| .430|| 13.8|| 1.2|| .7|| 2.3|| 12.7 |- | style="text-align:left;" |

| style="text-align:left;" |  L.A. Clippers
|81||81||31.7||style="background:#cfecec"|.714*||.000||.430||13.8||1.2||.6||1.7||12.7
|-
|style="text-align:left" | 
|style="text-align:left" |  L.A. Clippers
|77||77||31.5||.645||||.580|||15.2|||1.5|||0.5|||0.9|||12
|-
|rowspan=2 style="text-align:left" | 
|style="text-align:left" |  Dallas
|50|||50|||31.1|||0.644||||||0.682|||13.7|||2|||0,7|||1,1|||11
|-
|style="text-align:left" |  New York
|19|||19|||26|||0,634||||||.773|||11,4|||.3|||0,5|||1,1|||10,9
|-
|style="text-align:left" | 
|style="text-align:left" |  Brooklyn
|56|||6|||22|||0,666||||||0,680|||10,0|||1,9|||0,3|||0,9|||8,3
|-
|style="text-align:left" | 
|style="text-align:left" |  Brooklyn
|57|||43|||21,9|||.763||||.000||||.500||||7,5||||1,6||||0,3||||1,1||||7,5
|- 
|rowspan=2 style = " text - align : left ; " >  
|>style = " text - align : left ; " > 2021 -22 Los Angeles Lakers season 
|>32 
|>19 
|>12 ,8 
|> ,674 
|> 
|> ,462 
|>5 ,4 
|> ,4 
|> ,3 
|> ,8 
|>4 ,1 
|- 
|>style = " text - align : left ; " > 2021 -22 Philadelphia 76ers season 
|>16 
|>1 
|>13 ,4 
|> ,593 
|> 
|> ,714 
|>5 ,8 
|> ,5 
|> ,1 
|> ,6 
|>4 ,6 
|- 
|>style = " text - align : left ; background :#afe6ba; " > ^† 
|>style = " text - align : left ; " > 2022 -23 Denver Nuggets season 
|>39 
|>8 
|>15 ,0 
|>  ,765 
|> 1 ,000 
|> ,458 
|>5 ,2 
|> ,9 
|> ,3 
|> ,6 
|>5 ,1  
|-  
|>style = " text - align : left ; " >   
|>style = " text - align : left ; " > 2023 –24 Denver Nuggets season  
|>36  
|>2  
|>11 ,0  
|> ,624  
|>  
|> ,491  
|>4 ,4  
|> ,7  
|> ,2  
|> ,4  
|>3 ,9  
|-  
|>style = " text - align : left ; " >   
|>style = " text - align : left ; " > 2024 –25 Denver Nuggets season  
|>56  
|>5  
|>12 ,3  
|> ,650  
|>  
|> ,422  
|>5 ,1  
|> ,9  
|> ,3  
|> ,5  
|>3 ,7  
|- class =" sortbottom"

>|style =" text - align : center ;" colspan ="2"| Career >|1111 >|791 >|25,1 >|bgcolor =" EOCEF2"|,.674 >|,.154 >|,.475 >|9,7 >|,.9 >|,.5 >|1,4 >|8,5 |- class =" sortbottom" >|style =" text - align : center ;" colspan=2> All-Star >|1 >|0 >|12,5 >|,.600 >|,.000 >| >|3 >|2 >|0 >|0 >|6

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2012 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 11 || 11 || 22.7 || .525 || || .333 || 5.3 || .4 || .6 || 1.6 || 4.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2013 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 6 || 6 || 24.1 || .455 || || .222 || 6.3 || .2 || .2 || 1.7 || 3.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2014 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 13 || 13 || 34.0 || .730 || || .434 || 12.5 || .8 || .9 || 2.5 || 9.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2015 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 14 || 14 || 34.5 || .716 || || .427 || 13.4 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 2.4 || 13.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2016 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 6 || 6 || 33.1 || .632 || || .373 || 16.3 || 1.8 || 1.2 || 2.7 || 11.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2017 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Clippers | 7 || 7 || 37.8 || .705 || .000 || .393 || 14.4 || .7 || .4 || .9 || 15.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022 | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 3 || 2 || 10.2 || 1.000 || || || 2.3 || .3 || .0 || .7 || 3.3 |- | style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| 2023^† | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 4 || 0 || 3.4 || .667 || || .500 || 1.0 || .3 || .0 || .3|| 1.3 |}

College

|- | style="text-align:left;" | 2007–08

| style="text-align:left;" | Texas A&M
|35||21||20.1||.617||–||.437||6.0||.4||.2||1.3||7.9

External links