Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. (born July 21, 1988) is a professional basketball player from the United States. He last played for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the pros, he played college basketball for one year at Texas A&M.

Jordan was chosen by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 NBA draft. He played for the Clippers for ten seasons. After that, he joined the Dallas Mavericks in 2018. He was later traded to the New York Knicks in 2019 and then signed with the Brooklyn Nets that same year.

In 2021, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons but quickly signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He then played for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022. In July 2022, he signed with the Denver Nuggets. He won his first NBA championship with the Nuggets in 2023.

DeAndre Jordan has been named to the All-NBA Team three times and the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. He has also led the NBA in rebounds two times. In 2017, he was chosen as an NBA All-Star. Jordan holds the NBA record for the highest career field goal percentage. He is also the Clippers' all-time leader in games played, rebounds, and blocks. He won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics with the U.S. Olympic team.

High School Basketball Journey

DeAndre Jordan attended Episcopal High School for his first three years. As a sophomore, he averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game. In his junior year, he improved to 16.5 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks.

For his senior year, Jordan moved to Christian Life Center Academy. There, he averaged 26.1 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 8.1 blocks. He was recognized as a top player, earning a spot on the Parade All-American team. He also set school records for points (37) and blocks (20) in a single game.

Experts like Rivals.com ranked Jordan as a top prospect. He was the number-eight overall player and the second-best center in the country. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. In 2007, Jordan played for Team USA in the Under-19 World Championships. His team finished second in the tournament.

College Career at Texas A&M

DeAndre Jordan had committed to play for Texas A&M University. However, the head coach, Billy Gillispie, left for another school. Jordan decided to stick with his commitment to Texas A&M.

In his first year at Texas A&M, Jordan started 21 out of 35 games. He played about 20 minutes per game and averaged 1.3 blocks. He was very good at shooting close to the basket, making 61.7% of his shots. However, he struggled with free throws, only making 43.7%.

He finished the season averaging 7.9 points and 6.0 rebounds. For his strong performance, he was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. After this season, he decided to enter the 2008 NBA draft.

Before the draft, scouts noted Jordan's amazing physical abilities and defensive potential. They saw him as a "freakish athlete" with "incredible upside." However, they also pointed out his weaknesses, like "poor fundamentals" and "mediocre footwork." Some thought he might be a risky pick.

Professional Basketball Career

Los Angeles Clippers (2008–2018)

Starting Out in the NBA (2008–2013)

The Los Angeles Clippers picked DeAndre Jordan as the 35th overall player in the 2008 NBA draft. Due to injuries on the team, Jordan became a starter early in his first season. In his first game as a starter in January 2009, he had 6 blocks, 10 rebounds, and 8 points.

Jordan playing in 2011

A few days later, he played 43 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers and scored a career-high 23 points. He made 10 dunks in that game, a rare feat only achieved by a few other players.

In December 2011, Jordan signed a contract offer with the Golden State Warriors. But the Clippers quickly matched the offer to keep him on their team. For the 2011–12 season, Jordan changed his jersey number from 9 to 6. On Christmas Day 2011, he set a career-high with 8 blocks against the Golden State Warriors.

During the 2012–13 season, Jordan's free-throw shooting got worse, dropping to 38.6%. However, he led the league in field-goal percentage, making 64.3% of his shots. This was also his first season playing in all 82 games.

Becoming an All-Star Defender (2013–2016)

Jordan in 2013

In 2013, Jordan was invited to a training camp for Team USA. In November 2013, he set a career-high with 9 blocks in a game against the Sacramento Kings. In January 2014, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He led the NBA in rebounding for the 2013–14 season, averaging 13.6 rebounds per game.

In April 2014, Jordan became the first NBA player since 2008 to have at least 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a playoff game.

Blake Griffin and Jordan in 2013.

In February 2015, Jordan had 22 points and a career-high 27 rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks. In May, he was named to the All-NBA third team. Jordan became only the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 10 points, 15 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in a season.

In July 2015, Jordan first agreed to sign with the Dallas Mavericks. But he changed his mind and decided to re-sign with the Clippers instead. In November 2015, Jordan became the Clippers' all-time leader in total rebounds. He passed Elton Brand, who had 4,710 rebounds. Later that month, he missed 22 free throws in a game, tying an NBA record set by Wilt Chamberlain. In January 2016, he missed a game due to illness, ending his streak of 360 consecutive games played.

First All-Star Selection (2016–2018)

Jordan watching as Chris Paul runs the offense in 2016.

Jordan helped the Clippers start the 2016–17 season with a great 7–1 record. In November, he played his 600th career game for the Clippers. This made him one of only three players in franchise history to reach that milestone. In December, he had 13 points and a season-high 25 rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans.

In January 2017, he scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed 21 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers. A few days later, he set a new career-high with 29 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On January 26, he was chosen as a Western Conference All-Star reserve. This was his first time being selected as an All-Star. During the All-Star Weekend, Jordan took part in the Slam Dunk Contest. He led the NBA in dunks for four years in a row, from 2013-14 to 2016-17.

In the Clippers' first game of the 2017–18 season, Jordan had 14 points and 24 rebounds. In January 2018, he tied the team record for most games played as a Clipper. Two days later, he broke the record, playing his 716th game. In February 2018, Jordan scored a career-high 30 points against the Boston Celtics. In March, he averaged 17.1 rebounds, showing his continued dominance on the boards.

Dallas Mavericks (2018–2019)

In July 2018, Jordan signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He started the season strong, getting a "double-double" (double-digit points and rebounds) in his first three games. This was the first time a Mavericks player had done that since 1994.

In October, he had 12 points, 19 rebounds, and a career-high 9 assists. He continued his double-double streak, reaching six games. In November, he collected at least 10 rebounds for 11 straight games, a franchise record. In December, he had a season-high 23 rebounds in a win against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

New York Knicks (2019)

In January 2019, Jordan was traded to the New York Knicks. He was part of a big trade that involved several players and draft picks. In March, he had 11 points, 13 rebounds, and tied his career high with 9 assists in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Brooklyn Nets (2019–2021)

Leading the Team in Stats (2019–2020)

In July 2019, the Brooklyn Nets signed Jordan to a four-year contract. He made his debut for the Nets in October, recording 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. In November, he got his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

In December, Jordan had a season-high 20 rebounds, along with 12 points and 6 assists. In February 2020, he recorded his tenth double-double of the season. In June 2020, Jordan announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He decided not to play in the rest of the season. He finished the 2019–20 season with 13 double-doubles. He led the Nets in both field goal percentage and rebounds per game.

Missing the Playoffs (2020–2021)

Jordan started the 2020–21 season for the Nets in December 2020. He had 4 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 assist in his first game. In January 2021, he got his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. In March, he scored a season-high 14 points.

In April, Jordan had a season-high 14 rebounds. He did not play in the Nets' last 16 games of the season. He also did not appear in any playoff games. Jordan finished the season with only 6 double-doubles, which was his second-lowest total.

Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2022)

In September 2021, Jordan was traded to the Detroit Pistons. However, he quickly reached an agreement to leave the team. A few days later, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. In March 2022, the Lakers released him from his contract.

Philadelphia 76ers (2022)

In March 2022, Jordan signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. This reunited him with his former Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, and former Nets teammate, James Harden.

Denver Nuggets (2022–2025)

In July 2022, Jordan signed with the Denver Nuggets. In November, he grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds in a close win against the Dallas Mavericks. The Nuggets went on to defeat the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals. This win gave Jordan his first NBA championship and was also the Nuggets' first championship ever.

In July 2023, Jordan re-signed with the Denver Nuggets. In November, he had a season high in points (21), rebounds (13), and assists (5). This strong performance helped the Nuggets win a game against his old team, the Los Angeles Clippers. In July 2024, Jordan re-signed with the Nuggets again.

Personal Life and Beliefs

DeAndre Jordan is a Christian. He often talks about his faith, saying he knows his relationship with Christ is important to him. Jordan has several tattoos that show his beliefs. These include Bible verses like Matthew 5:4–5 and Philippians 4:13. He also has the Serenity Prayer and a personal message about honoring his talent.

Jordan is also a vegan. He chooses this lifestyle for environmental reasons. He has even hosted a vegan cooking show called Cooking Clean. His younger brother, Avery Jordan, used to play professional football in the Canadian Football League.

Player Skills and Style

Jordan, a regular recipient of the Hack-a-Shaq strategy, about to take a free throw in 2013.

DeAndre Jordan is known for being a very strong rebounder. He averages 10.2 rebounds per game in his career and has led the league in rebounding twice. He is also an excellent defender close to the basket, averaging 1.5 blocks per game. Some have even compared his defensive skills to those of Bill Russell, a famous Hall of Fame center.

On offense, Jordan mostly scores by getting "put-backs" (scoring after a missed shot) and "alley-oops" (catching a pass in the air and dunking). He has led the league in field goal percentage in five different seasons. However, he is not a good free-throw shooter, making only 47.5% of his shots. Because of this, opposing teams sometimes intentionally foul him, a strategy called "Hack-a-Shaq." Jordan is also considered a very tough and reliable player, having played in 360 straight games at one point.

Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008–09	L.A. Clippers	53	13	14.6	.633	—	.385	4.5	.2	.2	1.1	4.3
2009–10	L.A. Clippers	70	12	16.2	.605	.000	.375	5.0	.3	.2	.9	4.8
2010–11	L.A. Clippers	80	66	25.6	.686	.000	.452	7.2	.5	.5	1.8	7.1
2011–12	L.A. Clippers	66*	66*	27.2	.632	.000	.525	8.3	.3	.5	2.0	7.4
2012–13	L.A. Clippers	82*	82*	24.5	.643*	—	.386	7.2	.3	.6	1.4	8.8
2013–14	L.A. Clippers	82	82*	35.0	.676*	—	.428	13.6*	.9	1.0	2.5	10.4
2014–15	L.A. Clippers	82	82*	34.4	.710*	.250	.397	15.0*	.7	1.0	2.2	11.5
2015–16	L.A. Clippers	77	77	33.7	.703*	.000	.430	13.8	1.2	.7	2.3	12.7
2016–17	L.A. Clippers	81	81	31.7	.714*	.000	.430	13.8	1.2	.6	1.7	12.7
2017–18	L.A. Clippers	77	77	31.5	.645	—	.580	15.2	1.5	.5	.9	12.0
2018–19	Dallas	50	50	31.1	.644	—	.682	13.7	2.0	.7	1.1	11.0
2018–19	New York	19	19	26.0	.634	—	.773	11.4	3.0	.5	1.1	10.9
2019–20	Brooklyn	56	6	22.0	.666	—	.680	10.0	1.9	.3	.9	8.3
2020–21	Brooklyn	57	43	21.9	.763	.000	.500	7.5	1.6	.3	1.1	7.5
2021–22	L.A. Lakers	32	19	12.8	.674	—	.462	5.4	.4	.3	.8	4.1
2021–22	Philadelphia	16	1	13.4	.593	—	.714	5.8	.5	.1	.6	4.6
2022–23^†	Denver	39	8	15.0	.765	1.000	.458	5.2	.9	.3	.6	5.1
2023–24	Denver	36	2	11.0	.624	—	.491	4.4	.7	.2	.4	3.9
2024–25	Denver	56	5	12.3	.650	—	.422	5.1	.9	.3	.5	3.7
Career		1,111	791	25.1	.674	.154	.475	9.7	.9	.5	1.4	8.5
All-Star		1	0	12.5	.600	.000	—	3.0	2.0	.0	.0	6.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2012	L.A. Clippers	11	11	22.7	.525	—	.333	5.3	.4	.6	1.6	4.5
2013	L.A. Clippers	6	6	24.1	.455	—	.222	6.3	.2	.2	1.7	3.7
2014	L.A. Clippers	13	13	34.0	.730	—	.434	12.5	.8	.9	2.5	9.6
2015	L.A. Clippers	14	14	34.5	.716	—	.427	13.4	1.1	1.1	2.4	13.1
2016	L.A. Clippers	6	6	33.1	.632	—	.373	16.3	1.8	1.2	2.7	11.7
2017	L.A. Clippers	7	7	37.8	.705	.000	.393	14.4	.7	.4	.9	15.4
2022	Philadelphia	3	2	10.2	1.000	—	—	2.3	.3	.0	.7	3.3
2023^†	Denver	4	0	3.4	.667	—	.500	1.0	.3	.0	.3	1.3
2024	Denver	2	0	6.5	.500	—	1.000	1.5	.0	.5	.5	2.0
2025	Denver	7	0	5.1	1.000	—	.000	1.3	.3	.0	.1	.9
Career		73	59	25.7	.670	.000	.404	9.2	.7	.6	1.7	8.0

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2007–08	Texas A&M	35	21	20.1	.617	–	.437	6.0	.4	.2	1.3	7.9

More About DeAndre Jordan

List of NBA career rebounding leaders
List of NBA career blocks leaders
List of NBA career field goal percentage leaders
List of NBA single-season rebounding leaders
NBA post-season records

DeAndre Jordan facts for kids

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