Jordan Blount
Neptune
PositionForward
LeagueSuper League
Personal information
Born (1997-01-05) 5 January 1997
Cork, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school
College
  • UIC (2017–2020)
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020Basket Navarra Club
2020Força Lleida
2021CD Carbajosa
2021Þór Akureyri
2021–2022Sindri
2022–presentNeptune
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Ireland
FIBA European Championship for Small Countries
Bronze medal – third place 2018 San Marino Team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Dublin Team

Jordan Blount (born 5 January 1997) is an Irish professional basketball player for Neptune of the Irish Super League. He played college basketball for the UIC Flames.

Early life and career

Growing up on the north side of Cork, Blount was obsessed with basketball from an early age, frequently player in older age groups. At the age of 15, he moved to England to join the Plymouth Raiders youth team and won the BCS Cup. Blount received interest from professional teams but ended up joining Canarias Basketball Academy, as he had the desire to play college basketball in the United States. He was recruited by Georgia Tech although they wanted him to attend a preparatory school. After two years playing with Canarias, Blount enrolled at the SPIRE Academy and later committed to UIC.[1]

College career

Blount did not play his freshman year at UIC.[2] As a sophomore, he averaged 6.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.[3] On 5 December 2018, Blount scored a career-high 27 points in a 94-75 win against Illinois State.[4] Blount averaged 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as a junior.[5] He suffered an ACL tear in June 2019 but returned to the court in December 2019.[6] As a senior at UIC, Blount averaged 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.[7] Though he had an additional year of eligibility, he opted to turn professional.[2]

Professional career

On 14 August 2020, Blount signed with Basket Navarra Club of the LEB Plata.[8] After playing in three games, he parted ways with the team.[9] Blount averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. On 17 November, he signed with Força Lleida of the LEB Oro.[10] Blount averaged 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in four games. He signed with CD Carbajosa of the LEB Plata on 26 January 2021.[11]

In August 2021, Blount signed with Úrvalsdeild karla club Þór Akureyri.[12] He was released in November due to an injury.[13] In December 2021, he joined Sindri for the rest of the 2021–22 season.[14]

Blount played for Neptune in the 2022–23 Irish Super League season and earned All-Star Second Team honours.[15]

National team career

Blount played for the Irish under-18 basketball team in the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B and averaged 25.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 2.6 assists per game.[16] He played for the Irish under-20 basketball team at the 2016 FIBA U20 European Championship Division B, averaging 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.[17] Blount represented Ireland at the 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in San Marino. In four games, he averaged 8.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game, helping Ireland win a bronze medal.[18] Blount participated in the 2021 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries and helped Ireland win gold. He averaged 14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game and was named to the All-Star Five.[19]

Personal life

His father Gary Blount was an Irish basketball referee and coach. He died in October 2020.[20] Blount's siblings Gareth, Colm and Mollie also play basketball.[6]

References

  1. ↑ O'Callaghan, Eoin (8 January 2018). "'Beautiful hotels, steak dinners - college athletes are treated better than a lot of pros'". The 42. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 Doherty, Kieran (11 April 2020). "Cork basketball star Blount ready for the next step after impressing in the States". Echo Live. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. ↑ Rick, Pat (6 November 2018). "Game Preview: Notre Dame vs Illinois-Chicago". SCACCHoops.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ferguson's triple-double, Blount help UIC beat Illinois St". ESPN. Associated Press. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. ↑ Newhouse, Steve (13 December 2019). "DePaul vs. UIC Game Preview". 247 Sports. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  6. 1 2 Murphy, Éamonn (6 March 2020). "Watch: Cork basketball beast Jordan Blount honoured by Chicago college". Echo Live. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Jordan Blount selected the top Irish playing abroad in last week's games". Eurobasket. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Navarra signs Blount just out of college". Eurobasket. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Jordan Blount deja de ser jugador de Basket Navarra". Basket Navarra Club (in Spanish). 4 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Lleida lands Jordan Blount". Eurobasket. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "Carbajosa signs Jordan Blount". Eurobasket. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  12. ↑ Davíð Eldur (24 August 2021). "Jordan Blount semur við Þór Akureyri – Írskur landsliðsmaður í Höllina". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Davíð Eldur (8 November 2021). "Jeremy Landenbergue til Þórs Akureyri". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Jordan Blount". eurobasket.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  15. ↑ "National League All-Star teams revealed for 2022/23 season". ireland.basketball. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Blount leads Ireland in another return to Europe". FIBA. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "Jordan BLOUNT". FIBA. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Blount Helps Ireland Win Bronze at FIBA Championship". UIC Flames. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Guillem Colom lands the MVP award, two Ireland players amongst All-Star Five". FIBA. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "Irishman's Pro Basketball Journey Is Just Beginning". Balls.ie. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
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