New Orleans Pelicans veteran center DeAndre Jordan won the 2025/2026 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
When the New Orleans Pelicans added DeAndre Jordan to their roster just before their first home game, they had no clue just how important a veteran they would be adding to the mix.
Jordan was just named the 2025/2026 recipient of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award thanks to the work that he did off the court in guiding this young Pelicans squad and, in particular, his mentorship of Derik Queen.
He and Queen's relationship started quickly and the rookie took everything that Jordan said to heart. It was clear when speaking to one of them, just how much respect they had for the other. It went both ways.
Queen congratulated Jordan on social media by posting the following: "Big time DJ, well deserved Unc. One of my. biggest motivators. Thank you for guiding me through my rookie year. I appreciate you for everything. HOF."
There is no need to look any futher into justifying someone's status as a teammate than by seeing what their teammates had to say about them. Queen said it clearly there, but everyone inside that building from players to coaches to executives raved about what they saw from Jordan as a leader this season.
When the team decided to sign a 37-year-old to a fully guaranteed deal worth $3.5 million, it was met with some understandable pushback. That's a lot to invest in someone who was only meant to be a stopgap until the front court got healthy.
It's definitely a lot to pay someone who played in just 12 games. Credit to Jordan, though, because he was always ready to play at a moment's notice despite the inconsistent playtime, and he always managed to look good on the court when called upon.
Despite barely being used, it would be hard to say that the money wasn't worth it. Veterans have a place in the modern NBA, which is only getting younger. New Orleans saw it firsthand this season with the surprising emergence of Jordan as both a fan and team favorite.