Etiwanda retires Jordan McLaughlin’s No. 11 boys basketball jersey

RANCHO CUCAMONGA — As if enough wasn't already going on in Etiwanda's gym Friday night, the Eagles honored one of the top players in the history of their boys basketball program, guard Jordan McLaughlin.

McLaughlin, a 2014 graduate of Etiwanda, had his No. 11 jersey retired at halftime of the boys basketball team's CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinal victory over Anaheim Canyon.

McLaughlin became the third boys basketball player to have his number retired by the school: joining Darren Collison and Jeff Ayres (formerly Pendergraph). Football player Marvin Jones Jr. also has his number retired by the school.

🙏🏽✊🏽🖤 https://t.co/zZLblqqq5V

— Jordan McLaughlin (@itsmclaughlin11) February 18, 2023

After Etiwanda, McLaughlin went on to play at USC. He went undrafted in 2018, but played in the NBA G League before finally making it to the Minnesota TImberwolves, for whom he still plays. Friday's Etiwanda game coincided with the NBA all-star break, allowing McLaughlin to attend.

"We’ve been trying to do it the last couple of years," McLaughlin said. "Unfortunately, we had Covid happen and the dates never lined up where I was out here playing in the NBA when they had a game. It happened to work out last minute."

Etiwanda did not know it would be playing at home Friday until Tuesday's quarterfinal victory over St. Paul.

But Etiwanda co-coach Dave Kleckner, who coached McLaughlin, said he was planning on the jersey retirement for a lot longer.

"I stopped ordering No. 11 (jerseys) years ago, anticipating that we would retire it," Kleckner said.

Etiwanda alumnus Jordan McLaughlin speaks after his jersey retirement ceremony.⁦@itsmclaughlin11⁩ ⁦@EHSAthletics⁩ ⁦@EtiwandaBBall⁩ pic.twitter.com/ClbcgZ4zIX

— Pete Marshall (@PeteMarshallLaw) February 18, 2023

McLaughlin sat for the game with friends and family, as well as Timberwolves teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, in seats on the corner of the floor.

At halftime, McLaughlin was presented with a plaque and a framed jersey by athletic director Don Furnald and principal Dr. Russell Wolfe. Then McLaughlin and his wife, Anissa, pulled the string to reveal the retired number banner on the gym wall next to the other three retired number banners. He addressed the crowd and lingered long after the game to talk to fans and pose for pictures.

"It's an honor and a blessing to finally get this done," McLaughlin told the crowd. "A lot of hard work went into that."

Etiwanda alumnus Jordan McLaughlin speaks to the crowd at his jersey retirement ceremony Friday. ⁦@itsmclaughlin11⁩ ⁦@EHSAthletics⁩ ⁦@EtiwandaBBall⁩ pic.twitter.com/fGuuJ2jcZ2

— Pete Marshall (@PeteMarshallLaw) February 18, 2023

While at Etiwanda, McLaughlin's teams went a combined 114-15, won four Baseline League titles, won the CIF-SS Division 1AA championship in 2013 and qualified for the state playoffs four times. He was a CIF-SS player of the year and two-time league MVP.

"I just wanted to come here and show all my hard work on the court," he said. "Whatever numbers I got while I was out there, I got them."

Kleckner agrees that McLaughlin wasn't concerned with numbers.

"A coach at one tournament we were playing in asked me, ‘how do you get that guy (McLaughlin) to be so unselfish?’ We’ve always had a no-star system. He just bought into that system," Kleckner said. "Even though he was such a talent, he never took it for granted. That's his character."

Etiwanda alumnus Jordan McLaughlin is presented with the No. 11 jersey and a plaque for his number retirement ceremony Friday, then reveals the new banner. ⁦@itsmclaughlin11⁩ ⁦@EHSAthletics⁩ ⁦@EtiwandaBBall⁩ pic.twitter.com/u2HJ7BQJxe

— Pete Marshall (@PeteMarshallLaw) February 18, 2023

Kleckner said they noticed at freshman basketball tryouts that McLaughlin had next-level ballhandling skills. Then they saw his game really blossom.

"He just made everybody around him better. That's what stood out about him the most," Kleckner said. "He played with so much energy and enthusiasm, his teammates fed off of that. He played the right way and so his teammates did too."

Kleckner didn't know whether McLaughlin would get to play in the NBA.

"Any of his critics, he proved them wrong," Kleckner said. "He's the nicest kid I’ve ever coached and you want nice things to happen to people like that."

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