Aaron Gordon

Last updated

Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon 2019 (cropped).jpg
Gordon with the Orlando Magic in 2019
No. 50–Denver Nuggets
Position Power forward / small forward
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1995-09-16) September 16, 1995 (age 28)
San Jose, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school Archbishop Mitty
(San Jose, California)
College Arizona (2013–2014)
NBA draft 2014: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Selected by the Orlando Magic
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2021 Orlando Magic
2021–present Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
FIBA World U19 Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2013 Czech Republic U.S. National team

Aaron Addison Gordon (born September 16, 1995) [1] is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in San Jose, California, Gordon attended Archbishop Mitty High School where he led his team to two state championships and was named California Mr. Basketball in his junior and senior years. Gordon then played one year of college basketball with the Arizona Wildcats, during which they won the Pac-12 regular season title and reached the Elite Eight of the 2014 NCAA tournament.

Contents

Gordon was selected by the Orlando Magic as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Gordon has twice been a runner-up in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, losing a close matchup to Zach LaVine in 2016 and Derrick Jones Jr. in 2020. [2] After being traded to the Nuggets in 2021, Gordon won his first NBA championship in 2023.

Early life

Gordon was born in San Jose, California, to former San Diego State basketball player Ed Gordon and Shelly Davis Gordon. [3] Gordon has claimed that his paternal great-great-grandfather was a 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) Osage Indian. [4] [5] His father is black and his mother is white. [6] After going undrafted by the NBA, Gordon's father tried out as a tight end for the National Football League's New England Patriots with no prior football experience. [4] [7] [8] After being cut in the preseason, [9] he played a year of pro basketball in Mexico. [4] Gordon's older brother, Drew, also became a pro basketball player while his older sister, Elise, played collegiately for the Harvard women's basketball team. [10]

Gordon attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. [11] As a freshman in 2009–10, Gordon started in 28 of 41 games and averaged 11.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. [12] He also competed on the school's track and field team as a thrower and played summer basketball for the Oakland Soldiers.[ citation needed ]

As a sophomore in 2010–11, Gordon helped his team win the CIF Division II title [13] which was Mitty's first state title in men's basketball. [12] Mitty finished with a 32–2 record with Gordon playing all 34 games, averaging 16.4 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. In the 2011 title game, Gordon scored 17 points and broke the state championship record by gathering 21 rebounds. [12]

As a junior in 2011–12, Gordon led his team to their second CIF Division II state title after defeating La Costa Canyon 78–57 in the finals. Gordon finished the game with 33 points and 20 rebounds. For the season, Gordon averaged 22.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 blocks per game and was chosen as the California Mr. Basketball Player of the Year. [14]

As a senior in 2012–13, Gordon averaged 21.6 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game and lead Archbishop Mitty to a 28–6 record. [11] With this record, Archbishop Mitty reached the CIF Open Division finals where they lost against Mater Dei High School 50–45 with Gordon finishing the game with 22 points and 20 rebounds. [15] Gordon was again chosen as the California Mr. Basketball Player of the year during his senior year. [12]

Gordon completing an Alley oop from Aaron Harrison at the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game 20130403 MCDAAG Aaron Gordon alley oop from Aaron Harrison (6) cropped.jpg
Gordon completing an Alley oop from Aaron Harrison at the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

Gordon committed to the University of Arizona on April 2, 2013, announcing his decision in a news conference before the 2013 McDonald's All-American Game. [16] After a 24-point, 8-rebound performance leading the West to a 110–99 victory, Gordon was named the game's MVP. [17]

On January 17, 2020, Archbishop Mitty retired Gordon's number 32. [13]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Aaron Gordon
F 		San Jose, CA Archbishop Mitty High School 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)210 lb (95 kg)Apr 2, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 5 stars.svg     Rivals: 5 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: #4   Rivals: #3   ESPN: #4
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2013 Arizona Basketball Commits". Scout.com.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com.
  • "2013 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

College career

Gordon made his college debut for the Arizona Wildcats on November 8, 2013, in a 73–62 win against Cal Poly in which he recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks while seeing 33 minutes of play. [18] On February 22, 2014, Gordon scored a season-high, and game-high, 23 points in a win against Colorado scoring 21 points in the second half. [19] On March 2, 2014, Gordon led his team to a Pac-12 regular season title after a 79–66 victory over Stanford where he scored 19 points and achieved a career-high 15 rebounds. [20] On March 8, 2014, in the final game of the regular season, Gordon contributed 21 points in a 64–47 win against Oregon finishing the season with a 28–3 record. [21] on March 13, 2014, during the 2014 Pac-12 tournament, Arizona defeated Utah in the quarterfinals 71–39 with Gordon scoring 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. [22] On March 14, 2014, Gordon led his team to a 63-43 semifinal victory against Colorado during which Gordon scored 9 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. [23] Arizona ultimately lost in the finals of the tournament to UCLA 71–75 with Gordon scoring 11 points. [24]

In the 2014 NCAA tournament Gordon scored 16 points in a 68–59 victory over Weber State [25] Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 after defeating Gonzaga 84–61 with Gordon adding 18 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. [26] Gordon scored 15 points in his team's 70–64 win against San Diego State [27] before ultimately dropping out of the tournament in a close loss (63-64) to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight. Gordon scored 8 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. [28]

On February 13, 2014, Gordon was named one of the 30 finalists for the Naismith College Player of the Year. [29] He was named to the All-Pac-12 first team, [30] as well as earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 All-Freshman team honors. [31] Gordon finished his freshman year with a record-breaking 303 rebounds and on April 15, 2014, he declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility. [31]

Professional career

Orlando Magic (2014–2021)

2014–15 season

On June 26, 2014, Gordon was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. [32] On July 2, he signed with the Magic and joined them for the 2014 NBA Summer League. [33] After appearing in the first 11 games of the 2014–15 season, Gordon was ruled out indefinitely on November 16 after he fractured a bone in his left foot in the Magic's loss to the Washington Wizards the night before. [34] He returned to action on January 18, 2015, against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing 32 games. [35] On April 4, he recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in a 97–90 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. [36] [37]

2015–16 season

In July 2015, Gordon re-joined the Magic for the 2015 NBA Summer League, where he averaged 21.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks in three games. [38] On November 4, 2015, he scored a career-high 19 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets. [39] On January 31, 2016, he tied his career high of 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 119–114 win over the Boston Celtics. [40] He went on to record 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds the following night against the San Antonio Spurs. [41] During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, Gordon was the runner-up to Zach LaVine in the Slam Dunk Contest. Their battle through two tie-breakers in the final round drew comparisons to the showdown between Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins in 1988. Gordon utilised Stuff the Magic Dragon, his team's 6½-ft tall mascot, in his dunks; his final dunk involved him jumping over Stuff while passing the ball under both legs. [42] On February 25, he had another 19-point outing in a 130–114 loss to the Golden State Warriors. [43] Three days later, he set a new career high with 22 points in a 130–116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. [44] On April 13, in the Magic's season finale, Gordon tied his career high of 22 points in a 117–103 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. [45]

2016–17 season

Gordon with the Magic in March 2017 Aaron Gordon (33149202061).jpg
Gordon with the Magic in March 2017

On December 14, 2016, Gordon scored a career-high 33 points in a 113–108 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. [46] On February 18, 2017, he participated in his second consecutive Slam Dunk Contest, but failed to make it past the first round. On March 31, 2017, he scored 20 of his 32 points in the first half of the Magic's 117–116 loss to the Boston Celtics. He also had 16 rebounds in the game. [47] In the Magic's season finale on April 12, Gordon had 32 points and 12 rebounds in a 113–109 win over the Detroit Pistons. [48]

2017–18 season

On October 24, 2017, Gordon scored a career-high 41 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining, to lift the Magic to a 125–121 win over the Brooklyn Nets. [49] On November 29, 2017, he had 40 points and 15 rebounds to help Orlando end a nine-game losing streak with a 121–108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. [50] On December 30, 2017, he had a 39-point effort in a 117–111 loss to the Miami Heat. [51] Gordon missed nine games in February, including the All-Star Slam Dunk contest, with a strained left hip flexor. [52] On March 24, 2018, he had 29 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight assists in a 105–99 win over the Phoenix Suns. [53]

2018–19 season

On July 6, 2018, Gordon re-signed with the Magic. [54] In the Magic's season opener on October 17, Gordon had 26 points and 16 rebounds in a 104–101 win over the Miami Heat. [55] On November 18, he scored 20 of his 31 points in the first quarter of the Magic's 131–117 win over the New York Knicks. [56] On January 2, 2019, Gordon had a then career-high nine assists in a 112–84 win over the Chicago Bulls. [57] Thanks to a 42–40 record, the Magic qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2012 and faced the Toronto Raptors during their first round series. On April 13, 2019, Gordon made his playoff debut, recording ten points, ten rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 104–101 Game 1 win. [58] The Magic ended up losing the series in five games, as the Raptors went on to win the NBA Finals.

2019–20 season

On December 4, 2019, Gordon scored a season-high 32 points, alongside five rebounds and five assists, in a 128–114 win over the Phoenix Suns. [59] Gordon was runner-up in the Slam Dunk Contest to Derrick Jones Jr. during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend. They both had perfect scores in their first two dunks in the second round, forcing an overtime round. After they both earned perfect scores on their initial dunks, Jones won by scoring a 48 after taking off just past the free throw line to complete a windmill dunk; Gordon received a 47 after dunking over 7-foot-5-inch (2.26 m) Tacko Fall. [60] On February 28, Gordon recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in a 136–125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. [61] Despite the Magic qualifying for the playoffs for a second straight season, Gordon did not play in the team's first round series due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the NBA Bubble. The Magic were eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. [62]

2020–21 season

On March 19, 2021, Gordon posted a season-high 38 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in a 121–113 victory against the Brooklyn Nets, ending the Magics' nine-game losing streak and stopping the Nets' winning streak at six games. In his efforts, Gordon knocked down a career-high seven 3-pointers. [63] [64] On March 22, it was reported that Gordon had requested a trade from the Magic. [65]

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 pick. [66] Gordon had played and started in 25 games and was averaging 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 29 minutes of action while shooting 37.5% from three-point range with the Magic for the season. [67] On March 28, he made his Nuggets debut in a 126–102 win against the Atlanta Hawks, logging 13 points and two rebounds in 21 minutes of action. [68] [69] [70] The Nuggets qualified for the playoffs, but they lost in four games to the Phoenix Suns during the Western Conference Semifinals. [71]

On January 11, 2022, Gordon scored a season-high 30 points, alongside 12 rebounds, in a 85–87 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. [72] During the first round of the playoffs, the Nuggets lost in five games to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. [73]

During the 2022–23 season, Gordon was discussed as a potential NBA All-Star selection. However, he ultimately wasn't selected. [74] [75] In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Gordon scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 3-of-4 from three, 2-of-2 from the free throw line in a 125–107 win over the Phoenix Suns. [76] In Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals, Gordon scored a playoff career-high 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting in a 108–95 victory over the Miami Heat. [77] The Nuggets went on to win 94–89 in Game 5 to make Gordon an NBA champion. Just hours after the victory, Gordon was seen celebrating with fans in the streets of downtown Denver, just miles away from Ball Arena and walked with many for several blocks. [78]

The following season saw him miss multiple games after being bitten by a dog in his face and hands. [79] [80]

National team career

Gordon led Team USA to the 2011 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship gold medal, with team-highs of 17.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. He went on to earn MVP honors, while leading the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, in Prague, where he averaged team highs of 16.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, in addition to shooting 61.2 percent from the field. He was also named to the 2011–12 USA Developmental National Team, and participated at the 2010 USA Basketball Developmental National Team mini-camp. [11]

Off the court

In 2016, Gordon was appointed president of athlete acquisition for Lucid, a sports psychology app developed by mental skills coach Graham Betchart. [81]

In 2020, Gordon signed a partnership agreement with Chinese sports brand 361 Degrees. [82] The same year, Gordon donated to the Homeless Education Fund at the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools of Florida. The goal of the Fund was to help children who were adversely affected by school districts canceling classes during the coronavirus pandemic. [83]

In 2018, Gordon made his acting debut as Casper in Uncle Drew . [84] In 2020 he released a single "Pull Up" with rap artist Moe. [85]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
 † Won an NBA championship

NBA

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2014–15 Orlando 47817.0.447.271.7213.6.7.4.55.2
2015–16 Orlando 783723.9.473.296.6686.51.6.8.79.2
2016–17 Orlando 807228.7.454.288.7195.11.9.8.512.7
2017–18 Orlando 585732.9.434.336.6987.92.31.0.817.6
2018–19 Orlando 787833.8.449.349.7317.43.7.7.716.0
2019–20 Orlando 626232.5.437.308.6747.73.7.8.614.4
2020–21 Orlando 252529.4.437.375.6296.64.2.6.814.6
Denver 252525.9.500.266.7054.72.2.7.610.2
2021–22 Denver 757531.7.520.335.7435.92.5.6.615.0
2022–23 † Denver 676730.3.563.345.6086.63.0.8.816.3
Career59650729.1.472.325.6876.32.5.7.613.4

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2019 Orlando 5532.8.468.400.5267.23.61.2.215.2
2021 Denver 101029.9.434.391.6405.42.0.5.311.1
2022 Denver 5532.0.426.200.7147.22.6.41.213.8
2023 † Denver 202035.6.518.391.6526.02.6.6.713.3
Career404033.4.478.365.6456.22.6.6.613.0

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2013–14 [86] Arizona 383831.2.495.356.4228.02.0.91.012.4

Awards and honors

High school
Gordon was MVP of the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. 20130403 Aaron Gordon MCDAAG MVP (3) cropped.jpg
Gordon was MVP of the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.
College

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Jefferson</span> American basketball player (born 1980)

Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. A small forward, Jefferson played for eight teams in his 17-season career in the National Basketball Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channing Frye</span> American basketball player (born 1983)

Channing Thomas Frye is an American former professional basketball player. A power forward-center, he played college basketball for the University of Arizona. He was drafted eighth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2005 NBA draft, and was the first college senior to be selected in that draft. He also played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, winning an NBA Championship with the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Iguodala</span> American basketball player (born 1984)

Andre Tyler Iguodala is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. He won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015. He was also a member of the U.S. national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal both times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Brooks (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1985)

Aaron Jamal Brooks is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He was selected 26th overall in the 2007 NBA draft. Brooks won the NBA Most Improved Player Award for the 2009–10 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Miller</span> American basketball coach

Sean Edward Miller is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as head coach of the Xavier Musketeers. He previously held that position from 2004 to 2009, after which he took the head coach position at the Arizona Wildcats, which he held until being fired in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson Chandler</span> American basketball player (born 1987)

Wilson Jamall Chandler is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 13 seasons, mainly with the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets. He has also played for Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) during the 2011 NBA lockout. He played college basketball for the DePaul Blue Demons for two years before declaring for the 2007 NBA draft, where he was a first-round selection of the Knicks. Chandler is listed at 6 ft 8 in. and 225 lbs. He can play both forward positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Williams (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1991)

Derrick LeRon Williams is an American professional basketball player who last played for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats from 2009 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew Gordon</span> American professional basketball player

Drew Edward Gordon is an American former professional basketball player. The power forward began his college basketball career with the UCLA Bruins, then transferred during his sophomore year to the New Mexico Lobos. Gordon garnered a number of accolades for his play as the starting center for the Lobos, giving New Mexico a dominating inside presence. He is the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrence Ross</span> American basketball player (born 1991)

Terrence James Elijah Ross is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies, where he was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection before being drafted eighth overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Randle</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

Julius Deion Randle is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, he was awarded the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Johnson (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1992)

Nicholas Alexander Johnson is an American professional basketball player who plays for Cholet Basket of the French LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, with whom he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. He was then drafted 42nd overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2014 NBA draft, and played for them in the 2014-15 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Johnson (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1996)

Stanley Herbert Johnson Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. He played one season of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats before being selected eighth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2015 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. McConnell</span> American basketball player (born 1992)

Timothy John McConnell Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duquesne Dukes and the Arizona Wildcats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elfrid Payton (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

Elfrid Payton Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League. He played college basketball at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where in 2014 he won the Lefty Driesell Award as the National College Defensive Player of the Year. Payton was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, but was then traded to the Orlando Magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rondae Hollis-Jefferson</span> American basketball player (born 1995)

Rondae Jaquan Hollis-Jefferson is an American-Jordanian professional basketball player for the Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He spent six seasons in the NBA, and played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trey Lyles</span> Canadian-American basketball player

Trey Anthony Lyles is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Utah Jazz following his freshman season at the University of Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivan Rabb</span> American basketball player (born 1997)

Ivan Charles Rabb Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the California Golden Bears. Growing up in California, he was named the top high school player in the state as a senior in 2015. He also received national recognition as an All-American. As a freshman with the Golden Bears, Rabb earned second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore before being selected in the second round of the 2017 NBA draft. He began his pro career playing two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deandre Ayton</span> Bahamian basketball player (born 1998)

Deandre Edoneille Ayton Sr. is a Bahamian professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A consensus five-star prospect in the Class of 2017 and a McDonald's All-American, he played one season of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. Ayton was selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2019. In 2021, he helped lead the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeke Nnaji</span> American basketball player

Ezekiel Tobechukwu "Zeke" Nnaji is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats and was drafted 22nd overall by the Nuggets in the 2020 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennedict Mathurin</span> Canadian basketball player (born 2002)

Bennedict Richard Felder Mathurin is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he was named a consensus second-team All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year after his sophomore season. He was selected by the Pacers with the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2023 and finished fourth in voting for the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

References

  1. ↑ "FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Men (2011) | FIBA Europe". www.fibaeurope.com.
  2. ↑ "Never Mind the Result; Aaron Gordon's 2020 Dunk Contest Performance Greatest Ever". Orlando Magic. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. ↑ Mills, George G. (February 28, 2012). "Competitive Gordon Family Excels on Court". The Harvard Crimson . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Anderson, Kelli (July 22, 2013). "Eat, Play, Dunk". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ↑ Whitley, David (July 24, 2014). "Magic's new kid sounds ready to grow up". Orlando Sentinel . Tribune Publishing . Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ Santana, Marco (December 13, 2018). "Orlando Magic's Aaron Gordon launches computer coding program for school kids". Orlando Sentinel . Tribune Publishing . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ Borges, Ron (July 25, 1983). "Can Gordon shift from court to turf?". Boston Globe . p. 29. Retrieved July 2, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Lin, Dennis (May 26, 2020). "'My point guard was a legend': Tony Gwynn also starred in basketball" . The Athletic . Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  9. ↑ Center, Bill (August 5, 1983). "Gordon fails switch to NFL" . The San Diego Union Tribune . p. C-4. Retrieved July 2, 2023– via NewsBank.
  10. ↑ O'Neil, Dana (January 22, 2014). "Arizona's Gordon handling freshman pressure". ESPN . Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 "Aaron Gordon - Men's Basketball". University of Arizona Athletics.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Aaron Gordon Celebrated at Archbishop Mitty With High School Jersey Retirement". NBA. January 18, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Sabedra, Darren (January 17, 2020). "Jersey retirement: Aaron Gordon makes triumphant return to Mitty". The Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ Tennis, Mark (April 17, 2012). "Mr. Basketball 2012: Aaron Gordon". ESPN . Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  15. ↑ California Interscholastic Federation state media release (PDF). California Interscholastic Federation. March 23, 2013. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  16. ↑ Telep, Dave (April 2, 2013). "Aaron Gordon commits to Arizona". ESPN . Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Aaron Gordon earns MVP at McDonald's All-America game". Sports Illustrated . April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Gordona, No. 6 Arizona beat pesky Cal Poly 73-62". ESPN . Associated Press. November 9, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Aaron Gordon scores season-high 23 as Arizona beats Colorado". ESPN . Associated Press. February 24, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  20. ↑ "No.3/3 Arizona Claims Pac-12 Championship". Arizona Wildcats . Associated Press. March 3, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  21. ↑ "No.3/3 Arizona Finishes Regular Season 28-3". Arizona Wildcats . Associated Press. March 8, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Official Basketball Box Score - Utah vs Arizona" (PDF). Arizona Wildcats . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Official Basketball Box Score - Colorado vs Arizona" (PDF). Arizona Wildcats . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  24. ↑ Schipper, Mark (March 16, 2014). "UCLA Basketball: Bruins Upend Arizona Wildcats in Pac-12 Tournament Championship". Bleacher Report . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Cats March On with 68-59 Victory over Weber State". Arizona Wildcats . Associated Press. March 21, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Arizona Cruises Past Gonzaga 84-61 to Advance to Sweet 16". Arizona Wildcats . Associated Press. March 24, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Cats Rally to Defeat San Dieago State 70-64 in Sweet 16". Arizona Wildcats . Associated Press. March 28, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Official Basketball Box Score - Wisconsin vs Arizona" (PDF). Arizona Wildcats . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  29. ↑ "2013–14 Men's Naismith Trophy Midseason 30". NaismithAwards.com. February 13, 2014. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  30. ↑ "2013–14 Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Honors". Pac-12.com. March 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014.
  31. 1 2 "Gordon, Johnson declare for NBA Draft". NBA . April 15, 2014. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  32. ↑ Denton, John (June 26, 2014). "Magic Draft Gordon at No. 4; Trade for Payton". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Magic Sign Gordon and Payton". NBA.com (Press release). Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. July 2, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  34. ↑ Denton, John (November 16, 2014). "Gordon Out Indefinitely After Fracturing Bone in Foot". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  35. ↑ "Hot-shooting helps Thunder blow past Magic, 127–99". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 18, 2015. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Harris, Vucevic lead Magic past Bucks, 97–90". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 4, 2015. Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  37. ↑ Denton, John (April 5, 2015). "Aaron Gordon Looks Like Man on a Mission to Finish Rookie Season". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  38. ↑ Robbins, Josh (July 10, 2015). "Gordon, Hezonja boosted the Magic's optimism at summer league". orlandosentinel.com.
  39. ↑ "Postgame Report: Magic vs. Rockets (11/4/15)". Orlando Magic. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Postgame Report: Magic vs. Celtics (1/31/16)". Orlando Magic. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Magic's Aaron Gordon: Career-high in rebounds versus Spurs". CBSSports.com. February 2, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Zach LaVine wins slam dunk contest in battle with Aaron Gordon". ESPN.com. February 14, 2016. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Curry has 51, hits 3-pointer in record 128th straight game". NBA.com . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Big Magic start dooms 76ers to eighth straight loss, 130–116". NBA.com . Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Hornets beat Magic 117–103, will face Miami in 1st round". NBA.com . Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Magic vs. Clippers: Postgame Report". Orlando Magic.
  47. ↑ "Magic vs. Celtics - Game Recap - March 31, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  48. ↑ "Pistons vs. Magic - Game Recap - April 12, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  49. ↑ "Gordon, Fournier rally Magic to 125-121 win over Nets". ESPN.com. October 24, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  50. ↑ "Gordon has 40 and 15, Magic beat Thunder to end 9-game skid". ESPN.com. November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  51. ↑ "Johnson, Dragic lead Heat comeback in win over Magic". ESPN.com. December 30, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  52. ↑ "Burke leads Knicks past Magic to end 8-game losing streak". ESPN.com. February 22, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  53. ↑ "Gordon helps Magic hold off Suns 105-99". ESPN.com. March 24, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  54. ↑ "Magic Re-Sign Aaron Gordon". NBA.com. July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  55. ↑ "Bamba, Gordon lead Magic over Heat 104-101". ESPN.com. October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  56. ↑ "Gordon, Vucevic lead Magic as Knicks lose 5th straight". ESPN.com. November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  57. ↑ "Vucevic leads Magic to 112-84 rout of Bulls". ESPN.com. January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  58. ↑ "Orlando Magic vs Toronto Raptors Apr 13, 2019 Game Summary". NBA.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  59. ↑ "GORDON SCORES SEASON-HIGH 32 POINTS, MAGIC BEAT SUNS 128-114". NBA.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  60. ↑ Chiang, Anthony (February 16, 2020). "All-Star Saturday turned into the Heat's night. Inside big nights for Jones Jr. and Adebayo". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  61. ↑ "Magic's Aaron Gordon: Posts first career triple-double". www.cbssports.com.
  62. ↑ "Report: Aaron Gordon Leaves NBA Campus Due to Hamstring Injury, Recent Events in Bubble". Sports Illustrated. August 27, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  63. ↑ "Big Scoring Performances From Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier Help Magic Beat Nets". Orlando Magic. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  64. ↑ "Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 121, Brooklyn Nets 113". Orlando Magic Daily. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  65. ↑ NBC Sports (March 22, 2021). "Aaron Gordon Requests Trade from Magic" . Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  66. ↑ "Denver Nuggets acquire Aaron Gordon and Gary Clark from Orlando Magic". NBA.com. March 25, 2021.
  67. ↑ "Magic Acquire R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris and First Round Draft Pick From Nuggets". Orlando Magic. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  68. ↑ "Familiar faces in new places: Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Norman Powell headline list of notable debuts of midseason acquisitions". NBA.com Canada | The official site of the NBA. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  69. ↑ "Nuggets' Aaron Gordon: Gets involved right away in debut". CBSSports.com. March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  70. ↑ "ATL vs DEN Mar 28, 2021 | NBA.com". www.nba.com. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  71. ↑ "MVP NIKOLA JOKIC EJECTED, SUNS SWEEP NUGGETS 125-118". NBA.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  72. ↑ "Clippers rally from 25 down in 2nd half, stun Nuggets 87-85". www.9news.com. January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  73. ↑ "CURRY, WARRIORS HOLD OFF JOKIC, ELIMINATE NUGGETS IN GAME 5". NBA.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  74. ↑ "Snubbed! Aaron Gordon isn't chosen as a reserve for the NBA All-Star Game". CBS News. February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  75. ↑ "Nuggets' Aaron Gordon is building his All-Star case: 'He never shies away from a challenge'". The Athletic. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  76. ↑ "Murray scores 34, Nuggets beat Suns 125-107 in Game 1". ESPN.com. April 29, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  77. ↑ Greer, Jordan (June 9, 2023). "Aaron Gordon career high points: Revisiting Nuggets forward's regular season, playoff stats". Sporting News. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  78. ↑ "Shirtless Aaron Gordon takes to the streets to celebrate with Nuggets fans". CBS News Colorado. June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  79. ↑ "NBA: Denver Nuggets' six-match winning streak ended by Oklahoma City Thunder". BBC Sport. December 30, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  80. ↑ "NBA player Aaron Gordon attacked by dog on Christmas Day in 'very traumatic' incident, coach says". TODAY.com. December 28, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  81. ↑ Giles, Matthew (June 23, 2016). "Meet the Sports Psychologist Training the Minds of the NBA's Top Draft Prospects". Vice . Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  82. ↑ "Aaron Gordon Officially Signs Deal with 361º". PR Newswire . 361 Degrees. February 15, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  83. ↑ "Aaron Gordon Donates to Foundation for OCPS' Homeless Education Fund". NBA. April 4, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  84. ↑ Debruge, Peter (June 19, 2018). "Film Review: 'Uncle Drew'". Variety . Penske Business Media . Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  85. ↑ Nadkarni, Rohan (April 21, 2020). "Aaron Gordon Using Quarantine to Build Rap Career". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  86. ↑ "Aaron Gordon College Stats". Sports Reference . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.