Ex-Aggie Jordan making most of time in LA

DeAndre Jordan might be just 23-years-old, but the former Texas A&M standout is already in his fourth season in the NBA. Jordan first became a starter for the Los Angeles Clippers, the same club that took him in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft, starting 66 games last year but this Houston native didn't become a full-time starter for Vinny Del Negro's team until this season and thus far, the results have been pretty impressive. Through 26 games, he was averaging 7.2 rebounds, seven points and 1.8 blocks per game, numbers coming while he's logging right around 30 minutes per night. But what might be most interesting about this season for this A&M product is that he could very well have been playing in Golden State this year. Last December, the Warriors had signed him to an offer sheet and it was only after the Clips matched that offer that Jordan realized he wouldn't be changing teams. But it's safe to say he's happy with how things have turned out. "I had signed with another team, so pretty close but I'm happy I'm here. I'm fortunate and I'll always be thankful to Golden State for believing in me and giving me a chance," he said. "I'm happy where I'm at and feel like this could be a special team." But he wouldn't rule out one day playing in his hometown, should an opportunity for him to play in the Bayou City for the Rockets materialize. "I have a lot of years left in this league, so there's always a chance," he said. His head coach with the Clippers is definitely glad to have him back in the mix as part of a team that has spent much of the season in first place in the Pacific Division. "Having Kenyon (Martin) and Reggie (Evans) back there gives us some other guys to look at. DeAndre, with what he can do for us defensively as far as blocking shots but more altering shots, controlling the defense, using his length back there, running the court, setting screens, kind of opening the floor up a little bit by screening and rolling hard to the rim where Chris (Paul) can find him. That's a huge benefit," Del Negro said. "He's getting used to being a starter. It's a different responsibility for him." Besides the obvious change that the Clips are now a winning team, this year's club is a bit different than the team has been in his previous three seasons in the Association, especially since the club added veterans like Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Reggie Evans, Kenyon Martin and Chris Paul either before or earlier in the year. And having a lot more veterans in the room, especially ones who are battle tested and even several who have won NBA titles is something this ex-Aggie knows will pay huge dividends both now as well as in the future for both he and his young teammates. "It's good for us. We're all young pretty much, so bringing in those guys is definitely great, just bringing a winning mentality to this team," Jordan said. "Chauncey (Billups), he won a championship and Caron (Butler) and CP (Chris Paul) have gone into the playoffs, so it's definitely helping us out in staying calm and relaxed in those tough moments down the stretch so we can get wins." This 6-foot-11 big man has yet to experience playoff basketball but realizes that drought could come to an end this season. And even he admits as he looks around, he realizes there is definitely a different vibe with this year's club compared to the feel associated with his first three seasons as a Clipper. "We're a new team. A lot of people are new here, really all the team, so we're still gelling, learning each other's games and coming along pretty well. We go through lapses but overall, I think we're doing great," Jordan said. "There's going to be wins and losses, but we're looking down the road for this team." Another big difference he has noticed is how strong team chemistry is this year, not that it hasn't been in years past, but the recent addition of veterans like Billups, Butler and Evans among others has helped this team become an even more tightly knit unit, especially the young core of this squad. "Yeah, we're all young. We're all brothers. We can laugh, joke and be serious. I feel like we all criticize each other constructively," Jordan said. "It's really a family environment around here and I feel that's why the season is going real well for us." One additional change was that he changed his number during the offseason from No. 9 to No. 6, getting to wear his preferred digits for the first time since he was a rookie back in the 2008-2009 season. "Oh, it was nothing. I was six my rookie year, and then we got a vet and I had to change it. So I just went back to it," he said. But one thing that hasn't changed is the simple mentality he continues to have, not just in how he approaches every practice, but also in how he approaches every game. "Just keep improving every day, just keep improving offensively, defensively and trying to help my team win as many games as possible," Jordan said.