Veteran center DeAndre Jordan of the New Orleans Pelicans has won a major NBA award as he was named the 2025-26 Teammate of the Year.
The league announced the award winner on Wednesday, giving the 37-year-old Jordan the first major award of his 18-year NBA career. A panel of league executives selected 12 finalists, six from each conference, for this award. Then, the league’s players voted on a winner from the list of finalists, choosing Jordan for the prize.
Presented annually since 2012-13, the award recognizes the player deemed the league’s best teammate, based on selfless play, leadership and commitment to the team.
“New Orleans Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan has been named the 2025-26 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. Presented annually since 2012-13, the award recognizes the player deemed the league’s best teammate, based on selfless play, leadership and commitment to the team,” the NBA released in a statement on X.
DeAndre Jordan Barely Edged Out Jrue Holiday for the Award
All 12 finalists received votes, with Jordan barely edging out Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday for the win. Here are the points totals below, via the NBA:
- DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans Pelicans (1,455 points)
- Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers (1,437 points)
- Jeff Green, Houston Rockets (1,420 points)
- Garrett Temple, Toronto Raptors (1,223 points)
- Pat Connaughton, Charlotte Hornets (672 points)
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (659 points)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (651 points)
- De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs (640 points)
- Duncan Robinson, Detroit Pistons (523 points)
- Jaylin Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder (471 points)
- Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic (445 points)
- Marcus Smart, Los Angeles Lakers (424 points)
As you can see from the point totals, it was a very close vote, with Jordan just edging out Holiday and Jeff Green of the Houston Rockets for the award. Most of the players who were nominated for this award are older veterans of the league, though a few superstars like Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics were also finalists for the award.
DeAndre Jordan Has Had a Great NBA Career
Jordan was drafted with the 35th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2008 NBA Draft out of Texas A&M by the Los Angeles Clippers. He played the first 10 years of his career with the Clippers before bouncing around for several teams since then. That includes the Pelicans, the Denver Nuggets, the Brooklyn Nets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Individually, Jordan had his best years with the Clippers. He made one All-Star team, was named to the All-Defensive Team twice, and was named an All-NBA player three times, including a first-team honor during the 2015-16 season, when he averaged 12.7 points and 13.8 rebounds for the Clippers.
From a team perspective, the height of Jordan’s career came during the 2022-23 season, when Jordan won his first and only NBA Championship as the backup center to Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets.
Jordan played this past season for the Pelicans on the veteran’s minimum salary of $2.3 million. He only played in 12 games, but was a valued teammate on the Pelicans, especially with his stoic veteran leadership and the knowledge he provided to the team’s talented young players, like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. We will see if Jordan ends up playing another season, but given that he barely played this year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see if he decides to retire either.
DeAndre Jordan Wins Major NBA Award