The Case for DeAndre Jordan as the NBA's Most Underappreciated Player
In a day and age where NBA big men are renowned for their eclectic offerings anchored by grace, strength and sweet jump shots, Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan can be found bucking a trend. And in doing so, the 26-year-old has been glossed over and turned into one of the league's most underappreciated players.
That's because Jordan isn't a glamorous primary scorer cut from the fabric that's produced DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge or frontcourt partner Blake Griffin.
But that's quite alright. Because even though Jordan is rarely the focal point of a possession, he can often be found providing an exclamation point.
Those contributions have been highlighted in recent days, as Jordan ripped the Brooklyn Nets for 22 points and 20 rebounds on Feb. 2 before going ballistic on the Dallas Mavericks to the tune of 22 points and 27 rebounds Monday evening.
Jordan capped off his pre-All-Star break dominance by posting 24 points and 20 rebounds against the Houston Rockets Wednesday evening—his third 20-20 performance in the span of six games.
Not only is Jordan on pace to lead the league in rebounds for the second straight season at nearly 14 per game, but he's scoring the rock with historic efficiency.
Converting nearly 73 percent of his total shots, Jordan has a real chance at breaking Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record of 72.7.
"It’s just not done a lot," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said, according to the Orange County Register's Dan Woike. "If he keeps going as he is, him and Wilt Chamberlain will be the only two with back-to-back years like that, and nobody notices him. It’s amazing to me that no one notices DeAndre Jordan. I don’t know how you can get 22 and 27 and no one notices."
So why isn't Jordan getting showered with praise?
Well, it all comes back to operating procedure. Superstars are asked to score in droves and do so creatively. Originality is key, and in that sense, Jordan doesn't pass some superficial eye tests.
As the following shot chart from NBA.com illustrates, more than 99 percent of Jordan's field-goal attempts are coming from point-blank range. That's 44 percent higher than the league average, and at the most basic aesthetic level, it's not sexy.
But just because more than half of his shots are coming via dunks, that doesn't make him some sort of lesser offensive being.
Jordan packs a ton of value into limited touches, evidenced by the double-double averages he continues to post despite being used on a meager 12.2 percent of the Clippers' plays. To put that number in perspective, the only players to suit up for for L.A. this season and post lower usage rates have been Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ekpe Udoh, Dahntay Jones and Reggie Bullock.
With Jordan, almost every touch is meaningful. While you won't see Chris Paul dump the ball into him on the low blocks as the rest of the offense clears out to let him operate, Jordan will force defenses to account for his presence by lingering on the edge of the paint before rising for violent throwdowns.
In fact, among the 93 players averaging at least 30 minutes, Jordan ranks dead last in frontcourt touches per game at 18.6—a solid four touches behind the 92nd-ranked Tyson Chandler, according to SportVU player-tracking data.
Even so, the Clippers offense has functioned as the league's best with Jordan on the floor. When he sits, Los Angeles posts an offensive rating equal to that of the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.
Since a majority of his damage is done aerially, Jordan has parlayed a 250-pound build and 7'6'' wingspan into an uncanny ability to inhale seemingly every 50-50 ball that approaches his air space. Ultimately, balls that enter his orbit generally don't leave without getting flushed through the rim.
That mentality has turned him into a ferocious rebounder. Unfortunately, tenacity on the boards isn't often lauded as a distinguishing quality among centers. For bigs, it's just part of the job description.
But considering Jordan was struggling to pull down seven rebounds per game just two seasons ago, the progress he's made as an interior force deserves to be commended.
Leading the league in rebounding is one thing. What SportVU player-tracking data tells us, though, is that Jordan isn't a leather-grabbing opportunist who seizes easy, uncontested boards. According to SportVU, Jordan ranks second in contested rebounds at just over six per game.
Ranked second in offensive rebounds at 4.6 a night, Jordan has also displayed tremendous growth as a restricted area maestro. He continually stands out by preserving possessions with phenomenal lower-body leverage that allows him to ward off opposing bigs.
| Per-Game Average | 72.5 | 13.8 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 6.1 |
| League Rank | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
One method he's started to master is the ever effective back tap, which has become a popular way to utilize strength and length when a conventional board is out of reach.
"I know when we shoot we want to get back and be able to set up our defense, but if there's a chance that I can get it and tip it to us and give us a second opportunity, that's what I'm going to do," Jordan said, according to the Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch.
And while he's yet to operate as a net positive for the Clippers defense, Jordan's individual contributions put him in elite company.
Ben Alamar of ESPN Stats & Info explains:
"DeAndre Jordan is one of three players this season to average more than 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes, 25 percent or higher defensive rebounding percentage and fewer than 3.5 personal fouls per 36 minutes. Tim Duncan and Tyson Chandler are the other two, and Jordan leads the group with 2.5 blocks per 36 minutes and 31 percent defensive rebounding percentage.
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In other words, Jordan's game isn't accompanied by pomp and circumstance.
"You don't see the shots that he affects, the altered shots, the missed shots where guys are trying to throw it up over him just so he won't get a hand on it," Griffin said, according to Bolch.
Although grandeur will likely never define Jordan's style of play, the profound effect he has on both ends of the floor is hard to duplicate given how irregularly he's featured.
However, Jordan's days of living under an underappreciated banner may be numbered. With his contract expiring and owner Steve Ballmer keen on keeping his star trio intact, per Bolch, it's looking more and more likely that the Clippers center will demand max money when free agency opens.
Should Jordan garner top dollars, such a monetary acknowledgement of his talent should be enough to sweep the underrated label under the rug for good.
All statistics current as of games completed through Feb. 11 and courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless noted otherwise.
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