DeAndre Jordan Bio
Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. (born July 21, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) and listed at 265 lb (120 kg), he plays the center position and wears number 6.
Jordan is a three-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member, and a one-time NBA All-Star. He won an NBA championship in 2023 with the Denver Nuggets and an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He holds the NBA record for the highest career regular season and postseason field goal percentage.
Early Life and Background
Jordan was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in the surrounding area. He attended Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas, through his junior year, where he averaged 15.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks as a sophomore and improved to 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.0 blocks as a junior.
For his senior year, Jordan transferred to Christian Life Center Academy in Humble, Texas. He averaged 26.1 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 8.1 blocks per game, posted a career-high 37 points in a game, and set the school record for most blocks in a single game with 20. He was named a third-team Parade All-American and a two-time all-state selection.
Path to Basketball
Coming out of high school, Jordan was rated as the number-eight overall prospect, the number-two center in the country, and the number-one prep player in Texas by Rivals.com. He was recruited by several major programs, including Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, and Kentucky. In the summer of 2007, he represented the United States at the Under-19 World Championships in Serbia, where the team finished second with an 8–1 record.
Jordan chose to attend Texas A&M University in College Station, where he started 21 of 35 games as a freshman. He averaged 7.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, shooting a team-high 61.7 percent from the field. He was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and then declared for the 2008 NBA draft.
DeAndre Jordan Career
Early Career (2008–2011)
Jordan was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft. He was pushed into the starting lineup on January 19, 2009, against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to injuries, recording 8 points, 6 blocks, and 10 rebounds in his first start. Two days later against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played 43 minutes and scored a then career-high 23 points, including 10 dunks.
On December 11, 2011, Jordan signed an offer sheet with the Golden State Warriors reportedly worth $43 million over four years. The Clippers matched the offer one day later to keep him. For the 2011–12 season, he changed his jersey number from 9 to 6 and recorded a career-high eight blocks against the Golden State Warriors on opening day.
Los Angeles Clippers Breakthrough (2011–2018)
During the 2012–13 season, Jordan led the league in field-goal percentage at 64.3 percent while playing all 82 games for the first time. On November 29, 2013, he recorded a career-high nine blocks against the Sacramento Kings, and on January 3, 2014, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Dallas Mavericks. With 13.6 rebounds per game, he led the NBA in rebounding for the 2013–14 season and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2016.
In 2015, Jordan was named to the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive First Team, and he became the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 10 points, 15 rebounds, one steal, and two blocks in a season. After verbally agreeing to join the Dallas Mavericks, he reversed course and re-signed with the Clippers on a four-year, $88 million contract. On January 26, 2017, he was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, his first All-Star selection.
On January 24, 2018, Jordan tied Randy Smith for most games played in Clippers franchise history at 715, and two days later he surpassed the record with his 716th game. On February 14, 2018, he scored a career-high 30 points with 13 rebounds and four steals against the Boston Celtics. He is the Clippers’ franchise leader in games played, rebounds, and blocks.
Dallas Mavericks, Knicks, and Nets Era (2018–2021)
On July 6, 2018, Jordan signed a one-year, $22.9 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He opened the season with three straight double-doubles and recorded 16 points and a season-high 23 rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 2. On January 31, 2019, he was traded to the New York Knicks as part of the package that brought Kristaps Porziņģis to Dallas.
On July 6, 2019, Jordan signed a reported four-year, $40 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He led the Nets in both field goal percentage and rebounds per game during the 2019–20 season and opted out of the NBA restart in June 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. On September 3, 2021, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons and reached a buyout agreement four days later before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Denver Nuggets Era (2021–2025)
Jordan was waived by the Lakers on March 1, 2022, and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers two days later, reuniting with former Clippers coach Doc Rivers. On July 12, 2022, he signed with the Denver Nuggets, where he served as a veteran center and helped the Nuggets defeat the Miami Heat in five games to win the 2023 NBA Finals, earning his first NBA championship.
He re-signed with Denver on July 21, 2023, and again on July 24, 2024. During the 2024–25 NBA season, he made 56 appearances (including five starts) for Denver, averaging 3.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.
New Orleans Pelicans Era (2025–Present)
On October 24, 2025, Jordan signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, joining the franchise for the start of a new chapter. He is expected to provide veteran depth at the center position alongside the Pelicans’ young core.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jordan’s game is built around rebounding, interior defense, and finishing near the basket. He has led the NBA in rebounding twice and in field goal percentage five times, and he relies heavily on put-backs and alley-oops for offense. He is known as one of the more durable players in NBA history, once playing in 360 consecutive games.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jordan became the first NBA player with at least 25 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocked shots in a playoff game since Tim Duncan in 2008. He surpassed Elton Brand to become the Clippers’ all-time rebounding leader in 2015, and he holds the NBA record for highest career regular season and postseason field goal percentage. In 2017, he was named NBA All-Star Teammate of the Year, and he won Olympic gold in 2016.
DeAndre Jordan Career Wins
Across his NBA career, Jordan has collected one NBA championship, one All-Star selection, three All-NBA team selections, and two All-Defensive First Team selections. He has twice led the league in rebounding and five times led the league in field goal percentage.
NBA Highlights
Jordan’s signature NBA moment came in 2023 when he won his first NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets after they defeated the Miami Heat in five games. He was an NBA All-Star in 2017, an All-NBA First Team selection in 2016, a two-time All-NBA Third Team selection in 2015 and 2017, and a two-time All-Defensive First Team selection in 2015 and 2016.
Other Wins & Performances
Jordan won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics as a member of the United States men’s basketball team. He was a third-team Parade All-American in 2007 and a member of the Big 12 All-Rookie Team in 2008. He won the NBA Teammate of the Year award in 2026.
DeAndre Jordan Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jordan’s younger brother, Avery Jordan, was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League. Jordan has spoken frequently about his Christian faith, and he has multiple tattoos featuring Bible verses and the Serenity Prayer on his arms and torso.
Personal Life
Jordan is a vegan for environmental reasons and has hosted a vegan cooking show called Cooking Clean. Since 2020, he has been enrolled in the Contemplative Studies program at Brown University. He is widely respected around the league for his professionalism and leadership in the locker room.
2025 Season Performance
Jordan began the 2025 calendar year with the Denver Nuggets before signing with the New Orleans Pelicans on October 24, 2025, on a one-year, minimum-salary contract. With Denver during the 2024–25 season, he appeared in 56 games and averaged 3.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in a reserve role.
His move to New Orleans gives the Pelicans a proven veteran center to mentor their young frontcourt and provide steady interior defense. Jordan’s championship experience from the 2023 Nuggets title run adds valuable leadership to the locker room as the Pelicans aim to climb in the Western Conference standings.
Looking ahead, Jordan is expected to anchor the Pelicans’ second unit and offer steady rebounding and rim protection off the bench. His career-long durability and high field goal percentage make him a reliable contributor in limited minutes as he continues his 18th NBA season.
