If you’ve ever watched a New Orleans Pelicans game recently or caught highlights of the old "Lob City" Clippers, you know the visual. DeAndre Jordan standing next to a normal human being looks like a glitch in the Matrix. He’s massive. But exactly how tall is DeAndre Jordan when you strip away the thick-soled Nikes and the NBA's historical tendency to "generously" estimate player stats?
Honestly, the answer has shifted over the years, not because he’s shrinking (though he is 37 now), but because the way the league measures people changed.
The Real Numbers on DeAndre Jordan’s Height
For the longest time, the NBA was basically the Wild West for height. If a guy wanted to be 7 feet tall, the team usually just wrote "7'0" on the roster and called it a day. Jordan was frequently listed at 7 feet or 6'11" depending on which program you were looking at during his early years with the Clippers.
Then came 2019. The NBA cracked down. They started requiring teams to submit "barefoot" measurements conducted by team physicians.
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Currently, DeAndre Jordan is officially 6 feet 11 inches tall.
That 6'11" mark (about 211 cm) is his "true" basketball height. When he’s out there in his playing shoes, he’s easily clearing 7 feet. Most modern basketball sneakers add about 1.25 to 1.5 inches of lift. So, if you’re standing in a crowd and see a guy who looks like he could touch the ceiling, you’re seeing that 7-foot-plus silhouette.
Why the Wingspan Matters More Than the Height
If you ask any NBA scout, they'll tell you that height is just the "wrapper." What actually makes DeAndre Jordan a walking defensive wall is his wingspan.
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He sports a massive 7'6" wingspan.
Think about that for a second. His arms spread out cover more distance than the height of most industrial refrigerators stacked on top of each other. This is why, even in 2026, playing for the Pelicans, he can still disrupt shots without having to be the quickest guy on the floor. He doesn't need to jump out of the gym anymore because his reach creates a literal "no-fly zone" around the rim.
The Physical Profile: Weight and Reach
Height is one thing, but DeAndre has always been a "heavy" center. He’s currently listed at 265 pounds.
Unlike some of the newer "unicorn" bigs who are thin and wiry, Jordan is built like a linebacker. That weight is essential for his style of play—setting screens that feel like running into a brick wall and boxing out for those 5.0 rebounds per game he’s still chipping in.
- Standing Reach: Roughly 9'3" (He can almost touch the rim without jumping).
- Vertical Leap: In his prime, it was around 30.5 inches, which is wild for a guy that size.
- Hand Size: Not officially tracked like the NFL combine, but widely regarded as some of the largest in the league, helping him palmed the ball for those iconic alley-oops.
How He Uses That Size in 2026
It’s easy to think a guy who has been in the league for 18 seasons would be "over it," but Jordan has reinvented himself. He’s no longer the guy playing 35 minutes and trying to dunk everything. On the Pelicans roster, he’s the veteran presence.
He knows how to use his 6'11" frame to wall up. In the NBA, "walling up" is the art of standing perfectly vertical so the refs can't blow the whistle for a foul. When you’re that tall and that wide, you don’t need to swat the ball into the third row; you just need to exist in the path of the driver.
A Career of Consistency
Most guys his height see their knees or backs give out by age 30. Jordan has been remarkably durable. He actually holds the NBA record for the highest career field goal percentage (around 67.4%). Basically, when you're 6'11" and you only shoot from two feet away, you don't miss much.
Comparing Him to Other NBA Giants
Is he the tallest guy in the league? Not even close. With guys like Victor Wembanyama pushing 7'4", Jordan looks "normal" by comparison in today's NBA. But compared to the average center from the 90s or 2000s, he’s the gold standard for a "power center."
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He’s taller than Al Horford (6'9") but shorter than Brook Lopez (7'1"). He sits in that "sweet spot" where he’s big enough to guard the massive centers but still just mobile enough to not get completely cooked on a switch—though, at 37, those switches are getting a bit tougher.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see how DeAndre Jordan’s height actually impacts a game, watch the Pelicans' defensive positioning next time he subbed in. Pay attention to how often players drive into the lane, see him standing there at 6'11", and immediately pass the ball back out. That is the "gravity" of a true NBA big man. You can also check out his latest stats on the official NBA website to see how his rebounding efficiency holds up against the league's younger starters.