33 Ben Jordan

Ben Jordan was born Benjamin Ray Jordan on June 2, 1998, in Boyd County, Kentucky, to Kevin Ray and Stephanie Rayburn Jordan. He grew up in Olive Hill, where he starred at West Carter High School as both a basketball and baseball standout. A 6-foot-9 forward, Jordan finished his high school basketball career as the school’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots while ranking eighth in career scoring. He earned Eastern Kentucky Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior and was an All-Area selection in both basketball and baseball during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. On the baseball diamond, Jordan was a 2016 Under Armour All-American and one of Kentucky’s top-ranked pitching prospects.

Jordan enrolled at the University of Kentucky as a baseball player, redshirting his freshman season while recovering from injury. He returned to the mound in 2019, appearing in 10 games and making his collegiate debut against Austin Peay before closing the season with a scoreless inning against No. 2 Vanderbilt. In the fall of 2019, Jordan joined John Calipari’s basketball program, becoming one of Kentucky’s rare two-sport athletes. Although he appeared in just two games during the 2019-20 season, his daily practice battles with Nick Richards helped prepare the All-American center for his breakout campaign, with Jordan serving as an important contributor behind the scenes while also earning a place on the Dean’s List in the spring of 2020.

Away from athletics, Jordan enjoyed fishing and treasured his Gibson Les Paul guitar. He is survived by his parents and his three younger sisters, Abby, Kara, and Jenna. Jordan passed away on January 11, 2021, at the age of 22, and is remembered by the Kentucky community for his quiet dedication, versatility as a two-sport student-athlete, and the positive impact he made on those around him.