Aaron Gordon: From High School Standout to NBA Champion
Aaron Addison Gordon, born on September 16, 1995, is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His journey to the NBA began in San Jose, California, where he established himself as a dominant force in high school.
Early Life and High School Career
Born to Shelly and Ed Gordon, Aaron comes from a family with a strong athletic background. His father was a former basketball player at San Diego State University. Aaron's siblings also excelled in sports; his brother Drew played college basketball at New Mexico and UCLA before playing professionally in Europe, and his sister Elise played basketball for Harvard.
Gordon attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, where he quickly became a standout player. He was a four-year varsity starter, leading the team to two Division II state championship titles. As a freshman, Gordon averaged 11.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game.
During his sophomore year in 2010-11, Gordon helped Archbishop Mitty win the CIF Division II title, the school's first state title in boys' basketball. He averaged 16.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game. In his junior year (2011-12), he led his team to their second consecutive CIF Division II state title, scoring 33 points and securing 20 rebounds in the final game against La Costa Canyon. For the season, Gordon averaged 22.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game.
In his senior year (2012-13), Gordon averaged 21.6 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game, leading Archbishop Mitty to a 28-6 record. The team reached the CIF Open Division finals but lost to Mater Dei High School. Gordon finished the game with 22 points and 20 rebounds.
Read also: The Journey of Aaron Konnick
Gordon's outstanding high school performance earned him numerous accolades, including being named California Mr. Basketball twice, joining the ranks of notable players like John Williams, Jason Kidd, and Tyson Chandler. He was also named the San Jose Mercury Boys Athlete of the Year in 2013 and was a three-time San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury Player of the Year. Furthermore, he was the first-ever three-time WCAL Player of the Year. By the end of his high school career, Gordon had amassed 2,386 points and 1,666 rebounds, setting records for his school, conference, and the Central Coast Section.
College Career at Arizona
Rated as a five-star recruit, Gordon committed to the University of Arizona on April 2, 2013, during a press conference before the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he was named MVP after scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
Gordon made an immediate impact during his freshman season (2013-14) with the Arizona Wildcats. He started all 38 games, averaging 12.4 points, a team-high 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 31.2 minutes per contest. His impressive performance led to several honors, including being named a third-team All-American by the Sporting News, a finalist for the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year award, USBWA All-District IX, second-team NABC All-District 20, and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He was also selected for the All-Pac-12 First Team, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and Pac-12 Tournament All-Tournament Team.
Gordon set UA freshman records with 303 rebounds and 38 games started. He also ranked high in other freshman categories, finishing second in minutes played (1,187), third in field goals (189), fourth in free throw attempts (180), fifth in blocks (39), and eighth in points (470).
Throughout the season, Gordon led UA in rebounds and blocks 18 times each, scoring and steals nine times apiece, and assists five times. He scored in double figures 28 times, posted 11 double-figure rebounding efforts, and recorded a team-high eight double-doubles. He reached the 20-point mark three times and led the Wildcats with 56 dunks.
Read also: From Pitt to the Pros: Donald's Journey
In the 2014 NCAA Tournament, Gordon set a UA NCAA Tournament record with 18 rebounds against Wisconsin in the Elite Eight. He also had notable performances against San Diego State (15 points, six rebounds, two blocks) and Gonzaga (18 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals). He nearly achieved a triple-double against UCLA in the Pac-12 Tournament finals, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
Some of his standout games included:
- 21 points, eight rebounds, and three assists at Oregon.
- 19 points and 15 rebounds against Stanford.
- 23 points at Colorado (21 in the second half).
Following his successful freshman season, Gordon declared for the NBA Draft on April 15, 2014.
NBA Career
Orlando Magic (2014-2021)
On June 26, 2014, Gordon was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the fourth overall pick. He signed with the team on July 2, 2014. His rookie season was cut short when he fractured a bone in his left foot on November 15, 2014, missing 32 games before returning on January 18, 2015.
In July 2015, Gordon participated in the 2015 NBA Summer League, averaging 21.7 points and 11.7 rebounds in three games. He showed significant improvement, scoring a then career-high 19 points on November 4, 2015.
Read also: From Obscurity to NFL Greatness: Aaron Rodgers
During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, Gordon gained widespread recognition for his performance in the Slam Dunk Contest, where he finished as the runner-up to Zach LaVine. Their contest was lauded as one of the greatest dunk contests in NBA history, drawing comparisons to the iconic Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins showdown in 1988.
On December 14, 2016, Gordon scored a then career-high 33 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He participated in his second consecutive Slam Dunk Contest in 2017 but did not advance past the first round.
On July 6, 2018, Gordon re-signed with the Magic. In the season opener, he recorded 26 points and 16 rebounds. On November 18, he scored 31 points against the New York Knicks. The Magic qualified for the playoffs in 2019 for the first time since 2012, facing the Toronto Raptors in the first round.
In 2020, Gordon participated in his third Slam Dunk Contest, finishing as the runner-up to Derrick Jones Jr. After both contestants earned perfect scores in their first two dunks of the second round, an overtime round was needed. Jones ultimately won with a score of 48 after a free throw line windmill dunk, while Gordon received a 47 for dunking over Tacko Fall. On February 28, Gordon recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Denver Nuggets (2021-Present)
On March 25, 2021, Gordon and Gary Clark were traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a future first-round draft pick. He made his debut for the Nuggets on March 28, 2021, recording 13 points and 2 rebounds.
During the 2022-23 season, Gordon was considered a potential NBA All-Star selection but was ultimately not chosen. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Gordon scored 23 points. In Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals, Gordon scored a playoff career-high 27 points, contributing to the Nuggets' victory over the Miami Heat. The Nuggets went on to win the series in Game 5, earning Gordon his first NBA championship.
Prior to the 2024-25 season, Gordon switched his jersey number from 50 to 32 to honor his late older brother, Drew Gordon.
National Team Career
Gordon has also represented the United States in international competitions. He led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2011 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship, averaging team-highs of 17.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. He earned MVP honors while leading the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Prague, averaging team highs of 16.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Career Statistics and Achievements
Throughout his NBA career, Aaron Gordon has demonstrated versatility and athleticism, contributing as a scorer, rebounder, and defender.
- NBA Champion (2023)
- 2× California Mr. Basketball
- McDonald's All-American Game MVP (2013)
- FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2013)
- All-Pac-12 First Team (2014)
- Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2014)
Beyond the Court
In 2020, Gordon signed a partnership agreement with Chinese sports brand 361 Degrees. The same year, he donated to the Homeless Education Fund at the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools of Florida. He also made a cameo appearance in the movie Uncle Drew.
tags: #aaron #gordon #college #career
