DeAndre Jordan needed some confirmation when he was told that he'd be heading for his first NBA All-Star Game next month.
"They said, 'We just got a text from the NBA,'" Jordan said of a Los Angeles Clippers employee last week, to The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. "They were like, 'Yo, they think you're going to make it.' I said: 'They think I'm going to make it or I made it? What do you mean, they think, because I'm about to buy this trip.'"
Never an All-Star in his nine-year career, the center was planning his traditional midseason break, in this case a getaway to Hawaii.
"They said, 'Well, officially you made it,'" Jordan said. "And I was like, 'Oh shit.' I was super excited."
A two-time member of the NBA's All-Defensive First Team and last season's All-NBA First Team, what's kept Jordan off All-Star rosters in the past was likely the fact that Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are his teammates. The pair are perennial All-Stars, although this season injuries have essentially cost both a trip to New Orleans.
Jordan said he was fine with that, and had actually given up on the possibility of one day being an All-Star.
"I did," he said. "I was at peace with it. I was cool. I know my value around the league. I know my teammates respect me and guys around the league do, too. I wasn't concerned about it anymore. Starting three years ago, I was looking forward to my vacation, hanging out, and supporting my teammates who did go. It's my ninth season, but better late than never."