How did it come to be that nearly every country in the world has its own national sport, or at least a sport in which it feels particularly at home? While Canadians embrace hockey as a defining sport, Brazilians live for soccer, Ukrainians excel in boxing, and Norway has long claimed dominance in biathlon. Few would argue that the United States has its own pantheon of sports at which it excels — baseball, football, and, of course, basketball. And today on i-houston, we’ll talk about a Houston-born player with the famous last name Jordan, who chose the path of basketball.
DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan, a future NBA star by any measure, was born on July 21, 1988, in Houston to parents Kimberly and Hyland Jordan.
Jordan’s remarkable talent and skill for basketball became apparent during his time at The Episcopal High School in Bellaire, where he played at the amateur level and consistently stunned fans with his impressive statistics in every game. Following high school graduation in 2007, Jordan enrolled at Texas A&M University, where he continued to hone his basketball skills. That same year, he was called up to the U.S. Junior National Team and played in his first World Championship. The tournament culminated in a silver-medal finish after the U.S. fell to host Serbia in the final. This achievement would mark the beginning of Jordan’s career at the world level.
The Path to NBA Stardom
The NBA draft was the pivotal point in Jordan’s rise, opening doors to the league for countless players whose names would become renowned worldwide. Selected 35th overall in the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers, Jordan joined the NBA ranks.
Like most young players, Jordan’s early years were marked by limited court time, a period of adjustment to the demands of the professional level.
The turning point came in a memorable game against the iconic Los Angeles Lakers. Given the opportunity to play, Jordan seized the moment, scoring 23 points, making 10 slam dunks, and securing 20 rebounds — a stat line achieved by only three other NBA players in history, including Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Gray, and Tim Duncan.
In 2010, the Clippers hired a new coach, Vinny Del Negro, who began giving Jordan more playing time, making him a regular in the starting lineup. Alongside another young talent, Blake Griffin, the two were a dynamic duo on offense, thrilling fans with their slam dunks and proving highly effective in defense.
During the summer of 2011, Jordan’s contract with the Clippers expired, briefly making him a free agent until December of that year. Almost signing with the Golden State Warriors on a four-year, $43 million deal, the Houston native ultimately chose to stay with the Clippers after they matched the Warriors’ offer.
Is There a Magic to the Jordan Name?
Is there some magic in the name Jordan? It’s hard to say, but DeAndre Jordan’s journey is certainly impressive and deserving of respect. Whether or not one compares him to another famous Jordan, the athlete from Houston has built a legacy that commands recognition and admiration.