Rowan Kavner 
Digital Content Coordinator
LOS ANGELES – DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul continue stacking up honors, as Jordan was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career while Paul was named Second-Team All-NBA for the third time in his career Thursday afternoon.
It marked the second time in Jordan’s career the Clippers center made an All-NBA team after being named to the All-NBA Third Team last year, and the announcement came a day after Jordan and Paul were both named to the 2015-16 NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Paul also made the All-NBA Second Team in 2015 and in 2009, and he made the All-NBA First Team in 2008 and each year from 2012-14.
The two players served as major contributors in getting the Clippers to at least 50 wins for the fourth straight season and in turning the Clippers into a top six group in the league in offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating.
Jordan, who's just the third second-round pick since 1992-93 to be named to an All-NBA First Team, finished with a 70.3 field goal percentage this year, leading the NBA by more than eight percentage points and becoming the first qualifying player in NBA history with multiple seasons shooting at least 70 percent.
“He’s always been our defensive anchor and defensive leader, but now he’s officially one of the better players,” Jamal Crawford said earlier this year. “It’s like he’s grown to that. When he says something, you listen, and it comes from a place where he’s not trying to embarrass you, he’s trying to do what’s best for the team.”
Jordan averaged a career-high 12.7 points per game, pulled down 13.8 rebounds per game, blocked 2.3 shots per game and averaged a career-high 1.2 assists per game. His 10.3 defensive rebounds per game were a career high, and he took his offensive game to another level while the Clippers trucked on for half the season with Blake Griffin injured.
He recorded 10 straight double-doubles from Dec. 26-Jan. 21 while averaging 13.8 points and a massive 15.1 rebounds per game in January. He continued building his game offensively as the season went on, averaging 15.9 points per game in March.
The Clippers’ center was the only player in the NBA to log at least 1,800 minutes while ranking in the top five in offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating, becoming the Clippers’ all-time leading rebounder in the process.
“DeAndre brings something special to that team,” Pistons center Andre Drummond said at All-Star Weekend. “Defensively, he’s the anchor for them. He makes it tough for guys to get off easy shots, and on the pick-and-roll, he rolls so quick it makes you second guess if you want to stay in front of Chris Paul. He makes his team better.”
Cleveland forward LeBron James, San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard, Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook and Golden State guard Stephen Curry joined Jordan on the 2015-16 All-NBA First Team.
Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, Golden State forward Draymond Green, Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins and Portland guard Damian Lillard joined Paul on the All-NBA Second Team.
Paul finished first in the league in assist percentage (52.7) and had the best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.8) among players with at least 60 games under their belt this year.
The All-Star point guard averaged 19.5 points and 10 assists this year, marking the third straight season he averaged a double-double. Paul finished third in steals per game (2.1), fourth in assists per game and fourth in free-throw percentage (89.6) in the NBA.
“One of the top three point guards in the league, for sure,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said earlier this year. “I’ve been around him, the most competitive guy I think I’ve ever been around. He’s all about winning.”
Paul moved into 11th place all-time in NBA assists in the process and posted the fifth best Player Efficiency Rating (26.2) in the NBA this year.
Much like Jordan, Paul answered the call when the Clippers were shorthanded and took his game to a different level, averaging more than 21 points per game in both January and February.
“Chris Paul is invoking his will on the game,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said during that stretch.