DeAndre Jordan: Second round risk to LA Clippers legend

DeAndre Jordan has risen from being a risky second round draft pick to a LA Clippers legend, and most recently the franchise’s all-time leader in blocks.

“BLOCKED BY JORDAN!” A sound that’s become so familiar to LA Clippers fans over the last nine seasons since DeAndre Jordan slipped all the way to the second round of the 2008 NBA draft.

Looking back on that selection just seems completely surreal, after Jordan swatted his 1,118th rejection on Wednesday night to become the Clippers’ all-time franchise leader in blocks.

In addition to his plethora of blocks, DeAndre also has the most rebounds (both offensive and defensive), defensive win shares, highest field goal percentage and is quickly catching Randy Smith for most games played with the team. As a matter of fact, you would struggle to find many all-time Clippers lists that Jordan’s name doesn’t appear on.

But it’s not just on the defensive end that Jordan has made his mark. In all nine years of his career, he’s ranked in the top three for field goal percentage, and led the league in four straight seasons.

His tenacious rebounding and ability to endlessly run the floor have vaulted him into the NBA’s elite. Last year, Jordan tallied a career-high in points and assists per game (12.7 and 1.2, respectively) as well as double-doubles, tying with John Wall for 4th in the league (49 on the season). Not only that, but the Texas native was also named to the All-NBA First Team, the All-Defensive First Team (for the second straight season), and anchored the United States Men’s National Team to an Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.

But there has always been one colossal gaping hole in Jordan’s game, and that was his ability, or lack thereof, to hit free throws.

Earlier in his career, Jordan spent the majority of meaningful fourth quarter minutes sitting on the bench to avoid the ever dreaded “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy of intentional fouling. Fast forward to Wednesday night’s game against the Orlando Magic, and Jordan went 12-of-18 from the charity stripe, tied for the most makes of his career and at a pretty efficient rate, too.

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And it wasn’t a one-off either. Now at 54 percent this season and 59 percent in the last seven games (in 5.4 attempts per game), Jordan has seemingly started to iron out the one wrinkle that has plagued him his entire professional and collegiate career.

The numbers speak for themselves, but it’s only when you look beyond the stats and figures that you realise just how good a player DJ has become.

His otherworldly athleticism makes for a very aesthetically pleasing skill set. Dunk after dunk and block after block, catching impossible lob passes from Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and finishing them over anybody that’s brave enough to try to stop him (see Brandon Knight’s obituary). Not to mention the smothering defense that he’s continued to develop and the way he can protect the paint so easily.

Next: Clippers finally need to stagger Blake with the bench

DeAndre Jordan has gone from a second round “high bust potential” pick to a household name that even the casual NBA fan can get excited about on a nightly basis. And at only 28 years old, he won’t be slowing down anytime soon.