DeAndre Jordan and His Plant-Based Vegan Journey

DeAndre Jordan’s Switch to Veganism

DeAndre Jordan has been one of the most proficient rebounders of the last decade, and he has the stats to back it up. Between the 2009-10 and 2018-19 seasons, he obtained 8,653 rebounds, good enough for the most in that time span. Even though many players in the 2008 draft class have fallen out of the league, Jordan is still a solid role player that contending teams compete to sign. Although he has shown signs of regression, he still routinely dominates the glass, averaging around 6 rebounds in just 13 minutes per contest this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

DeAndre Jordan has been able to keep up this late-career success as a result of becoming vegan in 2018. Jordan states he made the change after educating himself on what he is putting into his body and where the protein is coming from. After learning these facts, becoming a vegan was a no-brainer. 

A common misconception about veganism is that people who eat strictly plant-based foods are not able to maintain the same weight as one who follow a more traditional diet. Plant-based foods have the connotation of being much healthier options that are used to lose weight. While plant-based foods are extremely healthy, athletes such as DeAndre Jordan, who need to eat an absurd amount of food in order to maintain elite performance, have no problem maintaining their nutrient and caloric intake. There are a vast array of foods that are available to vegans, as Jordan is able to use these foods to continue playing basketball at a professional level.

Why Did Deandre Jordan Stop Eating Meat?

Another reason Deandre Jordan stopped eating meat is to protect the environment. He states that he wants to leave an impact “not only for ourselves but for our children and their children and so on”. Similarly to his research on the health benefits of veganism, he learned about how a traditional diet is harmful to the environment, adding to why becoming vegan was an easy decision for DeAndre Jordan.

In order to spread his beliefs throughout the community, Jordan created a vegan cooking show called Cooking Clean. In this show, Jordan takes the viewers through unique plant-based recipes, conversations on plant-based eating, and potential meals that he would eat in a day. As he mentioned on the show, a typical breakfast for Jordan consists of a JUST Egg scramble, a Beyond sausage, and waffles. JUST Eggs and Beyond sausages come from plant-based brands Beyond Meat and Eat Just, companies that Jordan and other vegan athletes are attempting to popularize. 

DeAndre Jordan’s efforts in popularizing veganism among athletes are not alone. He teamed up with other vegan athletes such as Chris Paul, JaVale McGee, and Kyrie Irving to invest in Beyond Meat. These athletes are also part of the “Go Beyond” campaign, which is a campaign that helps athletes understand the benefits of switching to a plant-based diet.