Oct. 20, 2010
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - There are times in practice when M. Jordan will look over to J. Jordan, nod his head or give a wink and instantly - without even saying a word - the two UCF guards will know what the other is thinking.
It's the kind of bond that can only be shared between brothers, and in this case it's Marcus Jordan and Jeff Jordan, who have been reunited on the basketball court once again.
Basketball has always run deep through their family what with their famous father, Michael Jordan, being widely considered the best basketball player of all-time. Now, they are back together at UCF with Marcus being a sophomore and Jeff a senior. They got a laugh recently when they saw their UCF game jerseys with the initials `M' and `J' on the back for the first time. These days, they are cherishing the opportunity to play together - even if it's limited to practice because Jeff must sit out this season after transferring for Illinois. And usually each day their brotherly bond finds a way to shine through.
``We've matched up on the same team a couple of times in workouts and we feel like we have that same chemistry that we had growing up and in high school,'' Marcus said. ``We have little things that we do on the court that nobody knows about and that's pretty cool. I can't share them all or the defenses might pick up on them. But it's been so good having my big brother around and having someone to talk to and share stuff with. It's been really good. I learn something from him every day.''
One of the most important things that Marcus learned from Jeff was how to deal with the pressures and expectations of being the son of Michael Jordan. Their every actions - on and off the court, really - are being monitored by fans anxious to see glimpses of Michael in his two offsprings. Measuring up to Michael, of course, is an unattainable goal for even the best of players, so Jeff and Marcus learned what's most important is trying to carve out their own niche.
``It was a lot tougher a few years back, but thanks to my family I've learned to deal with it,'' Jeff said. ``I had media exposure all the way back to when I was in the seventh grade. Back then it was hard, but it got easier to deal with as it went along. It's not as much a factor now as it was. Now, it's about going out there and enjoying the game instead of worrying about what other people think and trying to live up to that.
``My father understands what we had to deal with the pressure, but we knew what we were getting into with basketball,'' Jeff continued. ``But my parents have done a great job preparing us for what we were going to have to deal with.''
Marcus and Jeff recently attended a Magic-Bobcats NBA game with their father, the majority owner of the Charlotte franchise. And Michael was on hand for the Knights first official practice last week, watching his two sons back on the same court for the first time since they were at Loyola Academy in suburban Chicago.
The way athletics director Keith Tribble sees it, it's a great testament to the promise of the Knights' basketball program under new coach Donnie Jones that the two Jordan brothers are at UCF. Marcus was so enamored with UCF following his freshman season that he recommended it to Jeff when he was looking for a school to transfer to.
``When we got Marcus last year it put UCF and our basketball program on the map with people watching him because of his father, arguably the greatest basketball player who ever played,'' Tribble said. ``Now, having Jeffrey here too, people have to be thinking it's good enough for Marcus and now another Jordan is there, too. For his brother to transfer here as a senior, which is very rare, I think it speaks to what we're doing here and what our basketball program is capable of doing.''
Jones, who took over as UCF's head coach in April, has set vastly different roles for the Jordan brothers this season. He expects Marcus, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound shooting guard, to thrive in the new up-tempo system, especially after working hard to reshape his body. As for Jeff, he is one of three Division I transfers - joining Tristan Spurlock and Josh Crittle - who are ineligible this season and will help form a scout team that will prepare the Knights on a daily basis.
``I think this system is going to be good for Marcus. He has a lot of ability and can score. He's worked on his shot all summer long and he's worked on his body, getting his body fat level down four percent,'' Jones said. ``He's always going to be a stocky, strong kid, but he's going to have the freedom to score. We need him to score for us.
``With Jeff, that's a pretty good guy to have here as a walk-on,'' Jones continued. ``He did a good job with his role that he played at Illinois, playing 13 minutes a game. To have his leadership and be in practice every day guarding (point guard) A.J. Rompza is going to help us.''
Marcus not only worked on reshaping his body this offseason; he also went to work on his jumper knowing that there would likely be more opportunities this season in Jones' push-the-pace system. Jordan made the Conference USA All-Freshman squad last season while starting 18 games and averaging 8.0 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. His best game at UCF was a nine-for-nine shooting night against Houston, but he struggled with his shot for the most part, hitting just 41.3 percent from the floor and 27.6 percent from 3-point range.
In an effort to improve that, he found gyms in Orlando and Chicago - usually with brother Jeff and Rompza - and got up hundreds of shots a day. He worked on pulling up off the dribble, spot-up shots from the perimeter and on the runners in the lane that gave him problems last season.
``We were in the gym like 9 a.m. every day, five days a week and getting up multiple hundreds of shots a day,'' Marcus said. ``It changed some days, but I was always getting a lot of shots up. I feel like I'm in the best shape that I have ever been in conditioning-wise in my life and my game has improved, too.''
Rompza, a family friend of the Jordans for years, said he can see how having the brothers back together again on the same basketball court has given them great joy. Away from the court, Marcus, Jeff and Rompza often spend hours playing video games, particularly the 2011 version that lets them play with a figure representing Michael Jordan from his playing days with the Chicago Bulls.
The time reconnecting with his older brother, Marcus said, has put him at ease and positioned him for a big season. And if he ever needs reassurance this season all he has to do is glance across the court at his brother for a knowing nod or wink.
``He can be that voice on the sidelines for me because I know that he will be vocal,'' Marcus said with a chuckle. ``And he's older so his basketball IQ will help us out a lot. It's just really good having him around.''
Click here to receive the Knights Insider via email
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.