National Basketball Association

Jordan earns 'Rodman-ish' rave from Rivers; fame and fortune next?

Published Dec. 4, 2014 3:39 a.m. ET

foxsports

DeAndre Jordan is 6-foot-11, has posterizing dunks on his résumé and is having a banner season for the Clippers, but he still isn't garnering the kind of attention worthy of his season.

Justin Bieber, wearing Jordan's No. 6 jersey, earned more attention the other night than Jordan has received.

On Wednesday, Jordan had eight points, 16 rebounds, three blocked shots and one steal in the Clippers' 114-86 win over Orlando, their sixth consecutive victory.

Coach Doc Rivers already referred to one Jordan game this season as a Picasso. On Wednesday, he compared him to a former rebounding machine.

"He does so many little things, Dennis Rodman-ish," Rivers said of Jordan. "I played with (Rodman) one year, and it was amazing. I didn't see it not playing with him, then you play with him and you realize, 'Holy crap.' You keep thinking Dennis didn't score, but he created so many scores. I think DJ is starting to do the same stuff."

Jordan was the NBA's leading rebounder last year and finished third for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Defense might win championships, but it's still offensive numbers that are adored and admired. Jordan is averaging just 8.2 points to go with his 11.9 rebounds (tied for third in the NBA) and 2.4 blocks (also third).

If he's drowned out by the accolades of others, Jordan doesn't seem to mind.

"I don't care. As long as the Clippers win, at the end of the day everybody gets recognition," Jordan said. "It's fine with me."

Also fine by him is that comparison to Rodman.

"He played with a lot of heart and effort on both ends of the floor," said Jordan, who has yet to meet Rodman. "To be compared to somebody like that is definitely humbling."

Rivers has preached about Jordan early and often this season, and there will be a very bright spotlight on Jordan in the offseason when his contract is up. Jordan will be a free agent and his value likely will be seen in big dollar signs.

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"I just try to keep myself busy to not think about it," said Jordan, who's earning $10 million in his seventh season. "I love being a Clipper. I've been here seven years. Hopefully I'll be here a lot more."

While things are good now, it's not hard for him to recall the lean years. He sees some of the old Clippers in other young teams that are struggling. Jordan rattles off the record of that 2008-09 Clippers team as though it will be etched in his brain forever, 19-63. This year's Clippers (13-5) could surpass that win total before Christmas.

Now the concern is fulfilling the team's expectations to win a championship. And Jordan is at the center of it.

"It doesn't go unnoticed, at least on our team," Blake Griffin said of Jordan's performance. "If you only pay attention to points, (yeah), but if you look at the box score every night and his field-goal percentage and rebounds and blocked shots and even beyond that, the shots he affects in the lane, altered shots, missed shots where guys are throwing up over him so he won't get a hand on it ...

"We know. We appreciate what he does. He does a good job of knowing his role."

And that may be playing second fiddle to teammates and even celebrities around here. Especially Bieber, whom he invited into the locker room the other night. Bieber wearing Jordan's uniform might be the Clippers center's best marketing tool yet.

.@blakegriffin32 and @cp3 on @deandrejordan6 and his outings that don't go unnoticed by them. @foxsportsw https://t.co/84HS2QMgZg
— Jill Painter Lopez (@jillpainter) December 4, 2014