By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Jordan Theodore was the Basketball Champions League MVP in 2017. He since moved to AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan and helped the Italians during the 2017-18 season, but spent the first half of the current season on the sidelines. AEK signed him a couple of weeks ago and Luca Banchi is already offering him the chance to get back in action. “My first impressions from AEK are great. I love my teammates. The coach is letting me play, letting me accommodate with the team” he told Eurohoops.
Taking a step back. The American point guard began his professional career in Turkey in 2012 playing for Antalya and finished the 2012-13 season in Puerto Rico. He returned to the Super Ligi joining Mersin for the 2013-14 season before splitting the 2014-15 campaign between Turkey and France. He continued in Germany for the 2015-16 campaign. He already was a proven scorer and creative force before his third stint in Turkey and his magical season with Banvit.
He surely made a name for himself during the 2016-17 campaign, not only in Turkey. Leading his team to its only title, the Turkish Cup, with his MVP performances secured him a fan-favorite status in Bandirma, which still holds very strong. With 16.2 points, 7.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, he landed the first Champions League Most Valuable Player honors. He also had 14.7 points, 7.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds in the BSL 2018-19 season.
His impressive season got him to Italy. Coming off 11.6 points, 4.3 assists and 2 rebounds per EuroLeague 2017-18 game, Theodore didn’t fit in Milan’s plans for this year. He started the previous season maintaining his MVP ways in the 2017 Italian Supercup and averaged 10.4 points in the LBA Serie A 2017-18 season, but Simone Pianigiani preferred other players for his backcourt ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
The 29-year-old point guard scored 11 points in his Greek Basket League debut against Kolossos and followed up with five points in the BCL Regular Season Day 11 match with JDA Dijon. “I know everybody expected me to come out and be super-aggressive, but that isn’t what I want to do. I don’t want to disrupt this team’s offense and the winning mentality that we have” he said and added: “I want to play aggressive defense and just get my game going as the season progresses. I love everything here from the management, to the team and the fans. I want to keep this great feeling we have going”.
Being a fringe player could be costly, but Theodore is in no rush to recapture his previous form: “I signed to be here. I haven’t played professionally in a high level for 11 months. Getting my rhythm back and the timing isn’t easy, but I’m going to get there. I’m not forcing the issue. I’m not trying to do too much. I’m playing the game and as the season goes on I am going to get a lot better. I know that. I’m confident in myself and I know what I’m doing on the court”.
His last time around, the former Seton Hall player led Banvit to the Final Four and to the Final, but the Turks suffered defeat to hosting team, Iberostar Tenerife. Last year his current team rose to the top of the BCL and Theodore hopes to achieve what he narrowly missed two years ago. Commenting on AEK’s chance to defend its title, he pointed out: “The Basketball Champions League has got a lot better. I know how good our team is. I believe that if we come in and attack every day, if we are better today than we were yesterday, then we will have a great opportunity to repeat last season’s success”.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League