Jordan Caroline

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Jordan Caroline

| image = Jordan Caroline.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Caroline with Nevada in 2017

| league = Lega Basket Serie A

| team = Universo Treviso Basket

| number = 25

| position = Small forward

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|1|15}}

| birth_place = Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 7

| weight_lbs = 235

| high_school =

Champaign Central
(Champaign, Illinois)
Montverde Academy
(Montverde, Florida)

| college =

Southern Illinois (2014–2015)
Nevada (2016–2019)

| draft_year = 2019

| career_start = 2019

| career_end =

| years1 = 2019–2020

| team1 = South Bay Lakers

| years2 = 2020

| team2 = Hapoel Eilat

| years3 = 2021

| team3 = Kaohsiung Jeoutai Technology

| years4 = 2021–2022

| team4 = Dolomiti Energia Trento

| years5 = 2022

| team5 = Melbourne United

| years6 = 2022

| team6 = Baxi Manresa

| years7 = 2023

| team7 = Fuenlabrada

| years8 = 2023–2024

| team8 = Kobe Storks

| years9 = 2025–present

| team9 = Treviso

| highlights =

2× First-team All-Mountain West (2018, 2019)
Mountain West All-Defensive Team (2019)
Second-team All-Mountain West (2017)
Mountain West tournament MVP (2017)
MVC All-Freshman Team (2015)

}}

Jordan Christopher Caroline (born January 15, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for Treviso of the Lega Basket Serie A. He played college basketball for the Southern Illinois Salukis and the Nevada Wolf Pack.

Early life and high school career

Caroline's maternal grandfather was J. C. Caroline, who was a running back for Illinois and led the nation in rushing as a sophomore in 1953 before playing 10 seasons for the Chicago Bears, primarily as a defensive back. His father, Simeon Rice, was an All-America defensive end at Illinois in 1994 and 1995 and was picked third in the NFL draft and played 12 NFL seasons. His mother Jayna Caroline, was a track athlete in high school and graduated from Illinois. Growing up, Jordan never felt any pressure to play football though did dabble in the sport as well as swimming, though he focused on basketball. In middle school he played on the same AAU program, Team Trouble, as future Loyola-Chicago forward Donte Ingram. Caroline went to Bristow Middle School in Brentwood, Ca and to Edison Middle School in Champaign, IL. Caroline played two years of high school basketball for Champaign Central High School before transferring to Montverde Academy. Playing alongside Ben Simmons and D'Angelo Russell, Caroline helped the team to back-to-back national titles in 2013 and 2014.{{cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Shannon |title=Nevada's Jordan Caroline, the son and grandson of Illinois legends, never got a call from 'dream school' |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-loyola-nevada-jordan-caroline-20180321-story.html |access-date=June 13, 2018 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 21, 2018}}

College career

Caroline was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team at Southern Illinois.{{Cite web| title = Tuttle Highlights 2014-15 All-Missouri Valley| publisher = Missouri Valley Conference| date = March 3, 2015| url = http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/news/2014-15/7922/tuttle-highlights-2014-15-all-missouri-valley/#.VPY67Zh0yUk| access-date = June 13, 2018| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161030134727/http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/news/2014-15/7922/tuttle-highlights-2014-15-all-missouri-valley/#.VPY67Zh0yUk| archive-date = October 30, 2016| df = mdy-all}} He averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a freshman. After the season, decided to transfer and received scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Xavier and Minnesota before picking Nevada.

Caroline was named Most Outstanding Player of the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in December 2016 after contributing 20 points and 12 rebounds in a 67–66 win over UC Santa Barbara.{{cite news |last1=Moody |first1=Darrell |title=Jordan Caroline rules as tournament MVP |url=https://www.recordcourier.com/sports/jordan-rules-as-tournament-mvp/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |work=The Record-Courier |date=December 26, 2016}} Caroline earned Second-team All-Mountain West and Mountain West tournament MVP honors his sophomore season in leading Nevada to a tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth.{{cite news |title=Jordan Caroline to Return for Senior Season for Nevada Wolf Pack |url=http://www.ktvn.com/story/38284735/jordan-caroline-to-return-for-senior-season-for-nevada-wolf-pack |access-date=June 13, 2018 |work=KTV |date=May 27, 2018}} He averaged 15.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Coming into his junior season, Caroline was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.{{cite web |title=Mountain West Announces 2017-18 Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team |url=http://themw.com/news/2017/10/18/mountain-west-announces-2017-18-mens-basketball-preseason-all-conference-team.aspx?print=true |website=Mountain West Conference |access-date=June 13, 2018 |date=October 18, 2017}} As a junior, he averaged 17.7 points and a Pack-leading 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field. Caroline was a first-team All-Mountain West selection by the conference coaches and media, first-team NABC District 17 and a USBWA District VIII selection. He was named to the Mountain West All-Tournament Team and led the Wolf Pack to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 after comeback wins over Texas and Cincinnati. Caroline tested the waters of the 2018 NBA draft, but ultimately opted to return to Nevada for his senior season.

Coming into his senior season, Caroline was named to the Preseason MWC Team.{{Cite news|last=Roberts|first=Rachel|url=https://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/college/mountain-west/boise-state-university/boise-state-basketball/article220086005.html|title=The Mountain West preseason basketball poll is out. And Boise State is not happy.|work=The Idaho Statesman|date=October 16, 2018|access-date=October 19, 2018}} On March 2, 2019, Caroline scored his 2,000th career point in a loss to Utah State.{{cite news|title=Utah State beats No. 12 Nevada to take Mountain West lead|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401089702|access-date=March 3, 2019|work=ESPN.com|date=March 3, 2019}} He punched a glass fire extinguisher near the locker room after the game as part of a fracas in the handshake line.{{cite news |last1=Borzello |first1=Jeff |title=MWC: Court rush not factor in USU-Nevada fracas |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26137053/court-rush-not-factor-usu-nevada-fracas |access-date=March 4, 2019 |work=ESPN |date=March 4, 2019}} Caroline finished his senior season averaging 17.0 points per game, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game despite straining his Achilles late in the season.{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Chris |title=Nevada alum Jordan Caroline signs deal with Los Angeles Lakers |url=http://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/nevada-alum-jordan-caroline-signs-deal-with-los-angeles-lakers |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=Nevada Sports Net |date=June 21, 2019}} Caroline also broke the Mountain West record for the most double doubles in a career previously held by Utah's Andrew Bogut.

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Caroline joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2019 NBA Summer League.{{cite web|title=Jordan Caroline|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Jordan-Caroline/Summary/80783|website=realgm.com|access-date=August 4, 2022}} He signed with the Lakers on July 20,{{cite web|title=Lakers Sign Jordan Caroline|url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/releases/190720-lakers-sign-caroline|date=June 20, 2019|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 20, 2019}} but was waived on October 4{{cite web |title=Lakers Sign David Stockton |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/releases/lakers-sign-david-stockton |website=NBA.com |access-date=October 5, 2019 |date=October 4, 2019 |quote=In a related move, the team has waived forward Jordan Caroline.}} after undergoing surgery on his foot in September.{{cite web |title=Lakers Medical Updates on Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker and Jordan Caroline|url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/news/190926-lakers-medical-updates-kyle-kuzma-talen-horton-tucker-jordan-caroline|date=September 26, 2019|website=NBA.com|access-date=September 26, 2019}} He subsequently joined the Lakers' NBA G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.{{cite news |title=South Bay Lakers Set Opening Night Roster |url=https://southbay.gleague.nba.com/news/south-bay-lakers-set-opening-night-roster-1920/ |access-date=November 7, 2019 |work=NBA.com |date=November 4, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121012818/https://southbay.gleague.nba.com/news/south-bay-lakers-set-opening-night-roster-1920/ |url-status=dead }} On January 3, 2020, he scored a season-high 20 points in a loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.{{cite news |title=Jordan Caroline: Drops 20 points |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/jordan-caroline-drops-20-points/ |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=CBS Sports |date=January 4, 2020}} Caroline had a groin injury in January and missed the remainder of the G League season. He averaged 11.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.{{cite news |title=Jordan Caroline: Heads overseas |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/jordan-caroline-heads-overseas/ |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=CBS Sports |date=May 17, 2020}}

On May 15, 2020, Caroline signed with Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.{{cite web |title=Jordan Caroline signs with Hapoel Eilat |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/jordan-caroline-signs-with-hapoel-eilat/ |website=Sportando |access-date=June 3, 2020 |date=May 15, 2020}} He averaged 15.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game during their resumed 2019–20 season following the league's COVID suspension.

On March 2, 2021, Caroline signed with Kaohsiung Jeoutai Technology of the Super Basketball League.{{cite web |title=備戰SBL下半季九太新洋將JC戰象報到 |url=https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aspt/202103020177.aspx |website=中央社 |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302080651/https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aspt/202103020177.aspx |archive-date=March 2, 2021}}

On June 30, 2021, Caroline signed with Dolomiti Energia Trento of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/jordan-caroline-is-a-newcomer-of-dolomiti-energia-trentino/|title=Jordan Caroline is a newcomer of Dolomiti Energia Trentino|last=|first=|date=June 30, 2021|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=June 30, 2021}}

On August 4, 2022, Caroline signed with Melbourne United in Australia for the 2022–23 NBL season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.melbourneutd.com.au/news/united-add-powerful-american-forward-jordan-caroline|title=United add powerful American forward Jordan Caroline|date=August 4, 2022|website=melbourneutd.com.au|access-date=August 4, 2022}} He was released by United on November 16, 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.melbourneutd.com.au/news/melbourne-united-add-american-center-marcus-lee|title=Melbourne United add American center Marcus Lee|date=November 16, 2022|website=melbourneutd.com.au|access-date=November 16, 2022}}

On November 17, 2022, Caroline signed with Baxi Manresa of the Liga ACB.{{cite web |title=Jordan Caroline, al BAXI Manresa |url=https://www.acb.com/articulo/ver/374137-energia-y-potencia-en-la-pintura-del-baxi-manresa-llega-jordan-caroline.html |website=ACB.COM |access-date=December 30, 2024 |date=November 17, 2022}} On December 31, his contract was terminated.{{cite web |title=Jordan Caroline deja BAXI Manresa |url=https://www.acb.com/articulo/ver/380270-jordan-caroline-deja-de-ser-jugador-del-baxi-manresa.html |website=ACB.COM |access-date=December 30, 2024 |date=December 31, 2022}}

On January 4, 2023, Caroline signed with Fuenlabrada of the Liga ACB.{{cite web |title=Jordan Caroline es nuevo jugador del Carplus Fuenlabrada |url=https://www.baloncestofuenlabrada.com/DetalleNoticia/Article/5962/Jordan-Caroline-es-nuevo-jugador-del-Carplus-Fuenlabrada |website=Baloncesto Fuenlabrada S.A.D. |access-date=December 30, 2024 |date=January 2, 2023}}

On August 3, 2023, Caroline signed with Kobe Storks of the B.League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.storks.jp/news/detail/id=17689|title=ジョーダン・キャロライン選手新規契約のご報告|language=Japanese|publisher=Kobe Storks|date=August 3, 2023|access-date=November 8, 2023}}

On January 9, 2025, Caroline signed with Treviso of the Lega Basket Serie A.{{cite web |title=INGAGGIATO JORDAN CAROLINE |url=https://trevisobasket.it/ingaggiato-jordan-caroline/ |website=Treviso Basket |access-date=January 11, 2025 |date=January 9, 2025}}