It was almost exactly a year ago that Jordan Usher last played in a meaningful basketball game – Dec. 21, 2018. The Wheeler High grad came off the bench to score nine points with four assists in 26 minutes for USC in a 91-49 win over Southern Utah.
One transfer year later, the Georgia Tech junior guard is ready to hit the floor. His first opportunity arrives Wednesday in a home game against Ball State.
“I’m just excited,” Usher said Tuesday. “I’ve been waiting all summer. I’m excited to get to play with my teammates, finally.”
The feeling is certainly mutual. With a 4-4 record and struggling with point guard Jose Alvarado out with an ankle injury, the Yellow Jackets are in need of wins, scoring and eager for the addition of a high-energy playmaker.
“Jordan, he’s a motor guy, he’s downhill. He plays hard, so he’s a good player,” coach Josh Pastner said. “He’s going to help our team.”
To this point, Usher has served the team largely by playing a role on the scout team, but has been able to practice some with the rotational players. Pastner said Tuesday that he had not yet figured out how much he would play Usher, but assured he would play.
At USC, Usher averaged 5.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. He shot 37.2 percent from 3-point range. He has stood out to Pastner for his effort.
“He likes guys that play hard, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Usher said. “I know I’ve been saying that a lot, but that’s literally what I do. I just play hard.”
Usher also touted his development since leaving USC with the help of assistant coach Anthony Wilkins.
“We did everything from conditioning, ballhandling, shooting, literally just tried to put a one-up boost to every single thing I have,” Usher said. “Coach Wilkins is one of the best guys I’ve ever worked out with doing that. Coach Wilkins is no joke. He’s the man.”
With his effort, strength and explosiveness (strength coach Dan Taylor said in the spring that his ability to produce force compared with the most explosive leapers in the NBA), he figures to fit right into Tech's high-level defensive play.
At the other end, his ability to go to the basket and his vision should be a boost for a team that, as has been the case throughout Pastner’s tenure, has had trouble scoring efficiently. In the team’s four-game exhibition in Spain in August, Usher was effective finding open teammates for shots and led the team with 14 assists, including one in which he tracked down a loose ball for a no-look, over-the-head bounce pass to feed Khalid Moore for a fast-break dunk.
“If it happens, it happens,” Usher said of a possible repeat of the pass. “I don’t know. If Khalid gets another dunk for me, that’d be sweet.”
On Wednesday, if he can help the Jackets win and get some quality minutes, that might be enough. He said that there will be about 200 family members and friends at the game.
“That’s going to be sweet,” he said. “I haven’t played at home since high school, so it’s going to be real fun for me.”
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