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DeAndre Jordan Moved By First Olympic Nod: “It’s Huge”

LAS VEGAS – The jersey’s the same as last year. The gym’s the same as last year. The circumstances, however, couldn’t be different for DeAndre Jordan as he finds himself back at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV alongside the NBA’s elite this week.

It’s Day 2 of USA Team Training, and unlike last summer’s minicamp, the Clippers’ star center's dreams of making the U.S. Olympic Team heading to Rio 2016 are a reality.

“It’s huge, man,” Jordan said Tuesday. “It’s a humbling experience. I’m so happy to be here with some of my best friends and some of the best basketball players in the world.”

For the first time in his career, Jordan is part of that illustrious group set to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.

As he yelled out defensive calls to Paul George, snagged entry passes from Kyrie Irving and threw down lobs from Kyle Lowry on Tuesday, Jordan fit right in on Team USA - a group of 12 players that includes Jordan, Lowry, Irving, George, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan and Harrison Barnes – and couldn't help but grin as he thought about how far he’s come.

Here was a second-round pick few believed in when he came out of school eight years ago, now standing in one of the most exclusive groups an NBA player can hope to be a part of. Head coach Doc Rivers gave Jordan an enhanced role a few years ago, and he ran with it, turning himself into one of the NBA’s premier centers.

Coming off his third straight season averaging a double-double and second straight season shooting better than 70 percent from the floor, he can add Olympian to his continuously growing resume, something that was no guarantee as he played last summer at the Team USA minicamp alongside teammates Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

At that point, the Olympics were still just a hope, but Jordan continued to pick up where he left off, averaging a career-high 12.7 points per game to go with 13.8 rebounds per game in 2015-16 season. He'll now be the lone Clippers representative heading off to his first Olympic Games.

“Us coming together on this long journey and shooting out to Rio, I’m really excited about it,” Jordan said. “It’s crazy, man. It’s been a long journey for me as an individual.”

And this is the pinnacle of the journey, which is still unfolding.

He’s in the midst of a moment he won’t forget, and the smile on Jordan’s face as he joked with Irving, Butler, Cousins and his Olympic teammates Tuesday after practice demonstrated how much he’s absorbing it and enjoying it.

For a player who for so long was labeled a project, he’s finally getting the sense he’s arrived.

“I feel like it, man,” Jordan said. “At the end of the day, it’s not just about me. It’s about the 11 other guys I’m on the court with and just trying to build. I know every day as an individual I can get better picking a lot of these guys’ brains and just getting better, but this is going to be a good ride.”

One that Jordan knows he’ll relish.

He’s never been to Brazil before, and in his typical lighthearted fashion, he said he’s looking forward “to some nice sightseeing and some good food.”

Of course, there will be basketball as well, and Jordan said Monday he’s received some pointers from his teammate, Paul, who won Gold medals in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. Paul removed his name from consideration this year and Griffin’s on the mend from offseason surgery, so Jordan will have to go through this year’s Olympic process without his Clipper teammates.

That means building relationships with the other stars around the league. As strange as it was initially playing alongside longtime foes, it quickly became clear to Jordan NBA rivalries go out the window when “USA” is featured across the chest.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing for the Clippers, the Warriors, the Thunder, the Mavericks; it doesn’t matter,” Jordan said. “You play for Team USA, and it’s bigger than all of us. We’re all excited to be here.”

That also goes for the members of the USA Select Team, the group of young players helping Team USA practice this week in Las Vegas. Clippers rookie Brice Johnson is a part of that group, and he’s getting to know Jordan.

The one-time second-round selection is now someone first-round picks are looking up to – literally.

“He’s dunked a few down there, and I was not jumping,” Johnson said. “There were a few times, I was like, ‘You got it.’”