Jordan Heading

Jordan Timothy Heading[1] (born January 30, 1996) is a Filipino basketball player who last played for Nagasaki Velca of the B2 League.

Jordan Heading
Free agent
PositionShooting guard
Personal information
Born (1996-01-30) January 30, 1996
Adelaide, Australia
NationalityFilipino / Australian
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight189.6 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolSunrise Christian School
(Adelaide, Australia)
CollegeCalifornia Baptist (2015–2019)
PBA draft2020: Special round, 1st overall[lower-alpha 1]
Selected by the Terrafirma Dyip
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–2020San Miguel Alab Pilipinas
2021–2022Taichung Wagor Suns
2022–2023Nagasaki Velca

Early life and education

Jordan Heading was born on January 30, 1996[2] in Adelaide to an Australian father and a Filipino mother.[3] He attended the Morrison Academy in Taiwan for his high school studies,[4][5] before going to the United States, to enter the California Baptist University in Riverside, California to pursue a degree in kinesiology.[3]

College career

Heading played for the California Baptist University (CBU) Lancers in college as a starting point guard. He was named a member of the Academic All-Pacific West five team.[3]

Professional career

San Miguel Alab Pilipinas (2019–2020)

Heading started his professional career with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League joining the team in October 2019.[6] The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2019–20 season, consequentially also ending his stint with Alab.[7]

In the Season 46 draft of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in March 2021, Heading was selected by the Terrafirma Dyip as the top pick for the special Gilas Pilipinas draft. He was to be loaned to the Philippine national team before he could suit up for Terrafirma.[8] He would join the Taichung Wagor Suns of Taiwan in October 2022.[4] This raised some concern with Heading's contract with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the Philippine basketball federation, which was supposed to be active until March 2023 arising from his involvement in the special PBA draft.[9]

Taichung Wagor Suns (2021–2022)

Heading went on to play for Taichung Wagor Suns. Heading's stint with the Suns covered its 2021–22 season, the Suns' first in the T1 League of Taiwan. The team finished as runners-up for that season.[10]

Nagasaki Velca (2022–2023)

On July 1, 2022, he joined the Nagasaki Velca which competes in the 2nd division of Japan's B.League.[11] He was released by the team on 6 June 2023.[12]

National team career

Heading has played for the Philippine national team. Having obtained his Philippine passport before the age of 16, Heading is eligible to play for the Philippines as a local player under FIBA eligibility rules despite him being born outside the Philippines and having non-Filipino heritage.[3]

He has played in the Philippine national youth system, having taken part in the 2011 FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship in Vietnan.[3]

Heading was part of the Philippine senior team which took part in the Belgrade tournament of the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifiers.[1]

Heading would be committed to the senior national team when he got picked by the Terrafirma Dyip in the special Gilas Pilipinas draft of the March 2021 PBA draft.[8] However contractual issues arose when he joined the Taichun Suns in October 2021. The issue would be resolved and Heading would return to play for the Philippines in the February 2023 window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asia qualifier.[13]

Heading was included in the 21-man pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.[14] He was eventually ruled out due to injury.[15]

Personal life

Heading is married to Lauren, an American professional volleyball player since 2019. They first met each other at California Baptist University where they both studied.[3]

Notes
  1. The 2021 draft was composed of two drafts: the Gilas special round and the regular draft. Heading was selected as the 1st pick of the special draft.

References
  1. "Jordan Timothy Heading". Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2020. FIBA. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  2. "ヘディングジョーダン" [Jordan Heading] (in Japanese). Nagasaki Velca. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  3. Olivares, Rick (November 4, 2019). "Jordan and Lauren Heading: A tag team couple for Philippine sports". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  4. Dioquino, Delfin (October 20, 2021). "Jordan Heading signs with Taichung Suns in Taiwan league". Rappler. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  5. Li, Matthew (October 20, 2021). "Jordan Heading comes back home to Taiwan, signs with T1's Taichung Suns". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  6. Leongson, Randolph (October 27, 2019). "Alab boosts backcourt with addition of Fil-Aussie Jordan Heading". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  7. Pamintuan, Carlo (May 9, 2021). "Ten years after first stint, Jordan Heading answers another Gilas call-up". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  8. Dioquino, Delfin (March 14, 2021). "Terrafirma picks Jordan Heading at No. 1 in special Gilas Pilipinas draft". Rappler. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  9. "SBP says Jordan Heading still under contract amid looming Taiwan stint". Rappler. October 21, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  10. Leongson, Randolph (September 8, 2022). "Jordan Heading banking on Taiwan experience ahead of Japan debut". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  11. Leongson, Randolph (July 1, 2022). "Jordan Heading moves from Taiwan to Japan to join Nagasaki Velca". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  12. Isaga, JR (June 6, 2023). "Nagasaki, Jordan Heading part ways after fruitful Japan B. League season". Rappler. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  13. Terrado, Reuben (February 21, 2023). "Jordan Heading glad to move past issue with SBP and focus on Gilas stint". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  14. Terrado, Reuben (June 6, 2023). "Clarkson, Brownlee, Kouame head 21-man Gilas pool for World Cup". spin.ph. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  15. Dalupang, Denison Rey (July 18, 2023). "Jordan Heading out for Gilas in Fiba World Cup". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
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