Richardson’s Tim Jordan learned from stars. Now it’s his turn to be the program’s face

RICHARDSON — Two things came to mind for Kevin Lawson when he first met Tim Jordan.

“He can be really intimidating if you don’t know him,” said Richardson’s basketball coach. “The first impression was, ‘Oh my God.'”

The second?

“I love him.”

Jordan, who moved to North Texas from Saginaw, Michigan after his sophomore year of high school, is a 6-7 senior forward on Richardson’s basketball team. He is physical, aggressive and built like a defender. He’s also thoughtful, thoughtful and incredibly aware of where he’s been, where he is and the responsibilities he now has as the face of one of Dallas’ most successful teams in recent history.

Yes, Jordan (whose nickname is T2) is now the Guy at Richardson, a team that a season ago included McDonald’s All-American Cason Wallace (now a freshman in Kentucky) and four-star guard Rylan Griffen (a freshman in Alabama). A team that ranked #2 on ESPN’s national high school basketball rankings last year. A team that defeated national No. 1 Compass Prep (Ariz.) and state juggernaut Duncanville in the same month. A team that went 59-4 from 2020-22.

The two catalysts behind this unprecedented success are gone. You can see them on national TV now with their respective collegiate teams and soon possibly in the NBA.

Jordan, a starter on last year’s Richardson team who had to fight for his every shot attempt while playing alongside two of the country’s best players, remains.

It’s easy to see why Lawson loves him.

Jordan is averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per game for Richardson (20-9, 9-2 District 7-6A), who, despite suffering monumental losses, didn’t miss much until graduation.

Thank the child of Saginaw for that.

“I don’t want to say it like that, but I feel like it’s all one with me,” Jordan said. “All wins, all losses. It doesn’t matter if I’m 40 [points] in a loss, it’s on me. I should have had 50 or 10 assists. Richardson, they’re known for winning before I even got here. I don’t want people saying in my senior year that T2 couldn’t make them win.’”

“This is the best thing Big Richardson ever had”

Everything is in Jordan.

At least that’s his way of thinking. It’s a damn question. But it’s not ego driven. Rather, it is driven by maturity and understanding of its situation.

Nor is it one that came easily.

“I really wasn’t ready for that,” said Jordan, who is now 44 points from 1,000 at Richardson alone. “But God won’t give you anything if you’re not willing. I didn’t think I was ready for this, I didn’t think it was coming for me.

It’s easy to play the numbers game and assume that Jordan want be ready for it. A quick rewind: Wallace, The Dallas Morning News Player of the Year last season, averaging 19.2 points per game as a senior. Griffen, a first-team All-Area winner, averaged a 20.9. Jordan, Richardson’s third offensive option, averaged 10.1.

So do the math. Remove the combined 40 points Wallace and Griffen averaged, elevate Jordan from third option to first and expect greatness. But what works on paper doesn’t always translate to reality, does it? Jordan had his doubts. His coaches — and former teammates — didn’t.

Griffen, Jordan said, taught him to be competitive.

“Even if you’re going up against a two-year-old, you have to be competitive,” Jordan said.

Wallace taught him how to prepare for the big moments.

“There were days when I would come to the gym thinking I’d be on time and Cason was already drenched in sweat as he ran the entire court,” Jordan said. “Cason showed me that no moment is too big.”

Jordan might have been built for that. His high school coach at Arthur Hill, Mich., Tony Davis once told MLive.com that Jordan — then a rising freshman — was a “program changer.” Four years later, 1,200 miles away and with the mentoring of two of Dallas’ top recruits, he’s capitalized on it all.

“I think in his DNA, in who he is, he wants to lead and take that responsibility,” Lawson said. “The moment [Wallace and Griffen] left, he came in and said, ‘Okay Coach, let’s go. I don’t want a drop off, I’m ready to take the reins here.’”

In November, it clicked when Jordan Richardson led a record 4-1 at the McDonald’s Texas Invitational in Pasadena, with victories over Pearland Dawson (ranked seventh in the state) and San Antonio Brennan (ranked 17th in the state, No. 2). the pre-season).

“He was amazing,” Lawson said. “He was great in Houston. I looked around like, ‘This is the best Richardson ever had,’ type stuff. That came out of my mouth.”

Richardson’s best big – one with leadership – could be the right player at the right time for the team’s new era.

“We are Richardson”

There’s something sweet about normality, something pleasant.

Because let’s face it, two top-notch local recruits on a four-year roster isn’t normal. At least not for a public school.

“I’ve enjoyed this year, I’ve enjoyed watching us grow,” Lawson said. “I enjoyed watching [Jordan] grow and how he has matured into this leadership role. Every year is different, it was a fun challenge. We enjoyed the victories, we enjoyed some of the great victories. You mostly learn from times when you are not successful.”

If success is determined by wins and losses, and if loss provides that opportunity to learn, then this season has offered more than the previous two for Lawson and Richardson. Richardson is still within striking distance of a county championship in one of the state’s toughest leagues, and it’s one of several contenders in a loaded Region I playoff bracket that Lake Highlands (#1 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Statewide ) should include poll), Arlington Martin (No. 3) and Allen (No. 4). He hasn’t lost a home game since 2019.

It also has more losses this season than the last two combined. There is value in that.

“We teach these guys, if you have something that doesn’t succeed, we’ll fight back,” Lawson said. “You never want to play against us after losing. We’ve had more of those opportunities [this year]. It’s been great to see them grow because of that because we’ve had more of those opportunities than we’ve had in years past.”

Lawson is proud of the reputation Richardson has built. Even with Wallace and Griffen gone, opposing teams are still giving Richardson their best due to that established success.

Jordan, who has learned to fend off challengers from Wallace and Griffen, will take it upon himself to make sure it continues.

After all, that’s what leaders do.

“I know we’re Richardson and if we lost, we made the people’s season,” Jordan said. “As this star player and this face of Richardson right now, all of that blame goes straight to you… You don’t want to be the team that lost that home winning streak.”

On twitter: @McFarland_Shawn

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