Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan hopes to improve with Team USA
By Tom West
DeAndre Jordan is representing his country and his Los Angeles Clippers with Team USA in the Rio Olympics, and he’s ready to learn all he can from the experience.
He tears down the practice court, a terrorizing, 6’11 mass of athleticism, waiting for the ball to fly 13 feet in the air to reach the prime, aerial position where he dominates the game. He catches the ball effortlessly, slamming down his arms as the rim rattles and his legs flail in a mid-air celebration. DeAndre Jordan has just thrown down another thunderous alley-oop, something that he’s been doing rather frequently in his time away from the Los Angeles Clippers, currently working with Team USA in preparation for a gold medal run in the Rio Olympics.
“It’s huge, man,” Jordan said when talking about being a part of the team to Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com on Tuesday. “It’s a humbling experience. I’m so happy to be here with some of my best friends and some of the best basketball players in the world.”
It’s a well-earned opportunity for Jordan. Coming off a stellar season, leading the NBA in field goal percentage for the fourth straight year (70.3 percent), averaging a career-high 12.7 points per game with 13.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, Jordan made the All-Defensive First Team for the second consecutive year and the All-NBA first team for the first time.
More from Clippers News
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
- LA Clippers 2023-24 full 82-game schedule
As an elite center on a top team, using his play during Blake Griffin‘s 45-game absence to help his recognition even further, Jordan was able to receive the best honors of his career.
But Jordan wants to do more. He wants to learn.
“I know every day as an individual I can get better picking a lot of these guys’ brains and just getting better, but this is going to be a good ride,” Jordan said.
He’s already a tenacious defender and devastating pick-and-roll threat, yet there’s more he wants to achieve. It’s the right mindset for any player to have and particularly one such as Jordan who’s always been seen as a defensive center who dunks and nothing more.
We saw brief flashes last season where Jordan looked like he was expanding his offensive repertoire. He isn’t much of a post player by any means, but he was finding good low positioning. He still doesn’t have any range, but he was able to use his speed and touch near the rim on occasion to take slower centers off the dribble and drive down the lane.
No matter how rarely such plays occur, Jordan is slowly working towards it. And any level of improvement, no matter how minor, helps him become a greater two-way force than he already is with his aerial acrobatics at both ends of the floor.
Running down the court faster than any opposing big man is something Jordan can get used to in the Olympics. It’s something he enjoys enough in already the NBA against the world’s best competition. Such athleticism, fastbreak play, pick-and-roll threat and, most importantly, defense will make him incredibly valuable to Team USA.
On a team that’s without LeBron James, Stephen Curry and the Clippers’ own Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (to name a few), America is heading to Rio with a team that looks more like a B group rather than their A team.
At center, they’re well prepared, though. Jordan’s explosive defense will tower over opponents while DeMarcus Cousins‘ bruising offense and improved jump shot will enforce more offensive threat. Together, they’ll be the class frontcourt of the tournament. What a surprise.
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
Cousins is a partner that Jordan can learn from, too. The overpowering up-and-under moves, the crisp spins in the post, the passing, the new 33.3 percent three-point shot; his arsenal is loaded and Jordan has an opportunity to soak up any offensive wisdom as he can.
From Boogie’s play on the block, to esteemed head coach Mike Krzyzewski, to Draymond Green‘s elite playmaking and IQ, Jordan is surrounded by a couple of the best bigs in the game. Each with varying skill sets to use and each allowing Jordan to play away from his typical Clippers teammates.
Hopefully for Jordan’s improvement, it’s an opportunity he can learn from, benefiting from the new minds and new surroundings he’ll experience. Heading into next season, another one for possible growth, Jordan clearly plans to take his time in Rio and keep building upon his game in any way possible.
Next: Free agents Clippers could sign to complete their roster
“It’s a humbling experience. I’m so happy to be here with some of my best friends and some of the best basketball players in the world,” Jordan added. He won’t take such an opportunity for granted.