Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Phil Jordon was a skilled NBA center of the 1950s and early 1960s whose interior scoring, rebounding, and low-post presence made him a productive frontcourt contributor for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and Cincinnati Royals. A traditional back-to-the-basket big, Jordon combined soft touch around the rim with physical play in the paint to anchor half-court offenses and battle opposing centers.

Here is the detailed information about Phil Jordon, a former NBA player:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Philip Jordon
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on September 12, 1933 (passed away on June 7, 1965, at the age of 31)
  • Hometown: Lakeport, California, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (208 cm)
  • Weight: 205 pounds (93 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 11 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 17 (US)
  • Number: Wore jersey numbers 18, 9, 17, 21, 15, 19, 12, and 16
  • Position: Center / Power Forward
  • High School: Liberty High School in Brentwood, California
  • College: Whitworth University
  • NBA Draft: Not applicable, as Jordon joined the league during the early years when the draft was less formalized
  • Teams Played For:
    • New York Knicks (1956–1958, 1960–1961)
    • Detroit Pistons (1958)
    • Cincinnati Royals (1958–1960)
    • St. Louis Hawks (1960)
    • Philadelphia Warriors (1961–1962)
  • Championship Rings: None in the NBA
  • Kids: Not publicly available
  • Siblings: Not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Phil Jordon’s player archetype was that of a mobile old-school center who could score enough to matter while anchoring the middle with size and activity. Defensively, he filled a traditional interior role, using his 6-foot-10 frame and length to battle opposing bigs, protect the paint by presence more than pure shot-blocking, and control space around the rim. Offensively, he was not just a screener or finisher; he had enough touch and skill to be a real frontcourt scoring option for stretches, which showed up in some of his better seasons and helped make him more than a purely defensive big. His physical traits leaned slender rather than overpowering for a center of his era, so his play style looked more fluid than bruising, with his value coming from mobility, interior scoring, rebounding, and steady two-way minutes instead of flashy shot creation or perimeter play.

Scouting Report

Phil Jordon looked every bit like a traditional interior centre, but what stands out is how much of his offence depended on timing rather than brute force. He was at his best establishing early post seals before the defence had fully loaded to the ball, giving teammates an uncomplicated passing angle and allowing him to go straight into a soft hook or short turnaround without overcomplicating the possession. He wasn’t a centre who wanted to dance with the ball. One or two decisive moves were usually enough. The interesting thing is that he understood how to keep himself available after the initial action, drifting into open pockets around the lane for dump-offs and second-chance opportunities instead of lingering on the block once the defence collapsed. Defensively, he brought value by occupying space. He used his size to hold position against opposing centres, boxed out with purpose and made drivers think twice about attacking directly through the middle, even if he wasn’t an explosive weak-side shot blocker capable of cleaning up every breakdown. That’s where the trade-off emerged. His mobility could be tested when quicker offensive actions pulled him away from the basket, and asking him to defend repeated screen actions or recover over larger areas of the floor reduced his effectiveness because his game was built around controlling the paint, not chasing it. I’ve always thought players like Jordon were most effective alongside active forwards who could cover extra ground defensively while allowing the centre to anchor the interior and focus on the physical battles around the rim. Offensively, he fit best with guards willing to reward early seals and big-to-big entries rather than relying exclusively on perimeter creation. To me, his style shared similarities with Ray Felix in the way both relied on size, touch and positioning more than flair, while there were also shades of Walt Bellamy’s interior scoring habits, albeit without Bellamy’s speed covering the floor or broader offensive range.

Notes:

  • Similar players to Phil Jordon include Phil Jackson.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Phil Jordon Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Phil Jordon
Basketball-Reference — 1958-59 NBA Player Stats: Per Game
Basketball-Reference — 1960-61 NBA Player Stats: Per Game