He's currently attempting to make the New Orleans Hornets as a backup. If he could make the team it would be great for his career playing against Chris Paul in practice. It'll be tough as it's doubtful the Hornets would carry three true PG's and Mike James is obviously the backup. But, he'll have a contract waiting for him to play overseas if the NBA thing doesn't work out and then he can give it another shot next fall.
It's great for Marist fans just to be able to see Jordan back in the States playing ball.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Without a guaranteed contract and receiving only limited practice time, Hornets free agent Jared Jordan did not know if he would get off the bench in Wednesday night's exhibition game against the Indiana Pacers.
In Sunday's home exhibition opener against the Golden State Warriors, he did not play.
However, since the first few days of training camp, Hornets Coach Byron Scott has noticed Jordan, a free agent from Marist who played in Lithuania last season after he was cut by the New York Knicks.
In the Hornets' 105-71 rout of the Indiana Pacers at the Pepsi Coliseum, Scott wanted to see how Jordan could up against backcourt pressure coming from Indiana's extremely quick guards, T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack.
Jordan sometimes was not quick enough to keep Jack or Ford from driving to the basket. But the Pacers' guards could not keep Jordan from making three of six shots during his first 11 minutes of playing time.
Although Jordan remains a longshot to make the Hornets' final roster, his five assists, a steal and six points impressed Scott.
"I think Jared played extremely well," Scott said. "Again, I looked at the way he has been practicing. He comes with great effort every single day. I thought tonight it kind of showed. If you had to pick one guy who really stood out, it was him."
On a play in the second quarter, Jordan whipped the ball behind his back like "Pistol Pete" Maravich used to do. On another possession, he made a 20-foot jump shot.
At the end of the first quarter, it appeared Jordan had made a shot from halfcourt, but the officials ruled he released the ball after the clock expired.
"To get another opportunity in the NBA, I have to make the most of it," said Jordan, who led the nation in assists for two seasons at Marist. "This is a great team, and they let you be basketball players and not like robots, and that's a credit to Coach Scott. I'm just trying to make the best of it."
Although Scott has not determined who will assume the backup point guard job on a regular basis, he shortened the rotation, using only Jordan and Devin Brown at the spot. Scott said he wanted to get an extended look at both players. Mike James, who appears to be the front-runner after getting 12 points and five assists in 26 minutes against Golden State, did not play.
