Jordan Bachynski: A Journey From Arizona State To Westchester Knicks

Six years ago, Jordan Bachynski entered the campus of Arizona State. During those four years he spent as a Sun Devil, Bachynski became a force on the defensive end. The Canadian native was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in 2014, along with attaining the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Award. After finishing his senior season on a high note, as he totaled the most blocks in Division I during the 2014 season, he spent a brief time Eskişehir Basket of the Turkish Basketball First League.

After appearing in four games with Eskişehir Basket, Jordan Bachynski departed the team. Shortly after, he was acquired by the Westchester Knicks. Bachynski spent the remainder of the 2014-15 season in Westchester, where he averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebound per game. During the summer of 2015, the former Arizona State product joined the Orlando Magic for the Orlando Summer League and the Toronto Raptors for the Las Vegas Summer League. When the Summer League concluded, he was signed by the Detroit Pistons.

During his time in Detroit, he competed against one of the top centers in the league, Andre Drummond. "He's going to be, if not already, one of the best bigs in the league," Jordan Bachynski told Ridiculous Upside. "To be able to go against him everyday, that was invaluable to me." Less then a month later, Bachynski was waived by the Pistons. Not long after, he was reacquired by the Westchester Knicks.

Throughout the season in Westchester, Jordan Bachynski and Darion Atkins have formed a strong defensive front court. The Knicks perform at a high level when their defense is locked in. When the Knicks can get a stop on defense, it can lead to a score in transition or even an uncontested three-point shot. "The games that we played our best defense are the games we played our best basketball,"Bachynski said. "It's a double edged sword. When you have turnovers, it leads the other team into transition." Not only does Westchester have many players that can score in transition, but the Knicks have an athletic center who can also score or dunk in transition.

The 7'2" center has made great strides in his first full season with the Knicks. Not only is Jordan Bachynski a presence on the defensive end, but he has notched five double-doubles this season. Along with that, Bachynski has performed well under the bright lights of the Showcase. "It helped solidify in my mind that I can play with the best of them," Bachynski said. "One of my favorite sayings is "Steel sharpens steel", so you have to go against the best guys to become better. I hope to sharpen my steel against other NBA steel soon." One of the strongest assets Jordan Bachynski brings to the table is his ability to block shots, as he is known as "BLOCKchynski"

Jordan Bachynski scores 31 points, while shooting 14/14 from the field, and blocked six shots in a victory over the Maine Red Claws.

After starting off the season on a positive note, the Canadian native was named as a replacement for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game. "Anytime you can play in an All-Star Game, its a huge honor," Bachynski said. "To be able to go to my home country and to be with my teammate, it was a lot of fun." In the All-Star Game, he totaled 10 points, two rebounds, and blocked one shot in 13 minutes of action.

Westchester has been on a recent skid since the start of the new year, but the team remains in contention for a playoff spot. With 16 games left on the season, the Knicks are searching for wins, as the team has lost three of their last four games. In the final stretch of the season, the Knicks need to replicate the style of play they had at the beginning of the season. "We just have to continue to play our basketball," Bachynski said. "Anytime we get away from that, we don't do well. We just got to stay focused and continue to improve as a team and as individual players." If Westchester can keep a positive mentality in the second half of the season, there should be no question about making the playoffs.

In his first full season with the Westchester Knicks, Jordan Bachynski is starting to show what he can do on the offensive side of the ball. At Arizona State, he was known primarily as a defender, but he has competed against many quality centers during his journey as a professional. While the 7'2" center is in the midst of competing for a playoff spot in Westchester, only time will tell if Jordan Bachynski is sharpening his steel against the top talent in the NBA.