Aaron Gordon

 

Aaron Addison Gordon (born September 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the University of Arizona before being selected by the Orlando Magic with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Gordon is a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest runner-up (2016, 2020) and won his first NBA championship with the Nuggets in 2023.

 

Standing 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and weighing 235 pounds (107 kg), Gordon is known for his exceptional athleticism, versatility as a power forward and small forward, and his legendary performances in slam dunk competitions. His 2016 dunk contest battle with Zach LaVine is widely considered one of the greatest in NBA history. More recently Gordon has evolved his game to better suit modern NBA systems, transforming into a pivotal role player for the Denver  Nuggets. 

 

Early Life and High School Career

 

Gordon was born in San Jose, California, and attended Archbishop Mitty High School. His older brother, Drew Gordon, was also a professional basketball player who played in the NBA G League and overseas before his untimely demise in a car accident in May 2024.

 

As a freshman at Archbishop Mitty in 2009-10, Gordon averaged 11.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while starting 28 of 41 games. He also competed on the school’s track and field team as a thrower and played summer basketball for the Oakland Soldiers AAU program.

 

In his sophomore year (2010-11), Gordon led Archbishop Mitty to the CIF Division II state championship—the school’s first boys’ basketball state title—finishing with a 32-2 record. He averaged 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 with 21 rebounds.

 

As a junior (2011-12), Gordon helped his team capture a second consecutive CIF Division II state title, defeating La Costa Canyon 78-57 in the finals with 33 points and 20 rebounds. As a senior (2012-13), he averaged 21.6 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks, leading Mitty to the CIF Open Division finals, where they lost to Mater Dei 50-45. Gordon finished with 22 points and 20 rebounds. He was named California Mr. Basketball Player of the Year during both his junior and senior seasons.

 

On January 17, 2020, Archbishop Mitty retired Gordon’s number 32 jersey.

 

College Career

 

Gordon committed to the University of Arizona on April 2, 2013, announcing his decision before the 2013 McDonald’s All-American Game. In that all-star game, he scored 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, leading the West to a 110-99 victory and earning game MVP honors.

 

During his freshman season at Arizona (2013-14), Gordon averaged 12.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game. He made his college debut on November 8, 2013, recording 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 33 minutes in a 73-62 win against Cal Poly. Gordon was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors, and was a top-30 finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year Award.

 

Following his freshman year, Gordon declared for the 2014 NBA Draft.

 

NBA Career

 

Orlando Magic (2014–2021)

 

Gordon was selected by the Orlando Magic as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on June 26, 2014. In his rookie season, he averaged 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 47 games.

 

The 2015-16 season marked Gordon’s breakthrough. During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, he competed in the Slam Dunk Contest and finished as runner-up to Zach LaVine in what many consider the greatest dunk contest in history. Their battle went to two overtime rounds, with both dunkers receiving perfect scores multiple times. Gordon utilized the Magic’s mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon (standing on a hoverboard), for several dunks, including his signature “Take a Chair in the Air” dunk, where he jumped over Stuff while passing the ball under both legs. Despite the loss, Gordon gained nearly 170,000 Instagram followers overnight and received praise from legendary Dunk Contest winner Dominique Wilkins.

 

Gordon participated in his second consecutive dunk contest in 2017 but was eliminated in the first round. During the 2017-18 season, he set multiple career highs, including 41 points on October 24, 2017, against the Brooklyn Nets, followed by 40 points against Oklahoma City on November 29 and 39 points against Miami on December 30.

 

On July 6, 2018, Gordon re-signed with the Magic. On December 4, 2019, he scored a season-high 32 points. During the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend, Gordon returned to the Slam Dunk Contest for a third time, again finishing as runner-up—this time to Derrick Jones Jr. in another controversial decision. The final round went to overtime, with Jones scoring 48 points to Gordon’s 47 after Gordon dunked over 7-foot-5 center Tacko Fall.

 

On February 28, 2020, Gordon recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Magic made the playoffs, but Gordon missed the postseason due to a hamstring injury as Orlando was eliminated by Milwaukee.

 

In March 2021, after reportedly requesting a trade, Gordon and Gary Clark were dealt to the Denver Nuggets.

 

Denver Nuggets (2021–present)

 

On March 25, 2021, Gordon was traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a future first-round pick. He made his Nuggets debut on March 28, logging 13 points and two rebounds in 21 minutes in a 126-102 win against the Atlanta Hawks.

 

Gordon’s role changed significantly in Denver, transitioning from a primary scoring option to a complementary player alongside Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. His athleticism and defensive versatility proved invaluable, and he became known for his ability to finish alley-oops from Jokić’s precision passes.

 

Prior to the 2024-25 season, Gordon switched his jersey number from 50 to 32 to honor his late brother Drew, who wore number 32 and died in a car accident in May 2024.

 

2023 NBA Championship

 

The 2022-23 season culminated in Gordon winning his first NBA championship. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, he scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in a 125-107 win over Phoenix. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals against Miami, Gordon posted a then-playoff career-high 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting in a 108-95 victory. The Nuggets won the series 4-1, with Gordon celebrating in the streets of downtown Denver with fans immediately after the championship-clinching Game 5.

 

2024-25 Season

 

On October 21, 2024, Gordon signed a four-year, $133 million contract extension with the Nuggets. In Game 4 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 26, 2025, Gordon hit a game-winning buzzer-beating dunk—the first in NBA playoff history—in a 101-99 victory. During the second round against Oklahoma City, he hit a game-winning three-pointer in Game 1 (May 5) and a game-tying three late in Game 3 (May 9), though Denver ultimately lost the series in seven games.

 

Gordon started off the new season by setting several personal and franchise records. On October 23, 2025, he set a career-high 50 points on 10-of-11 three-point shooting in a 137-131 overtime loss to Golden State. His 10 three-pointers tied Terry Rozier’s record for most in a season-opening game, and his 50 points surpassed Alex English’s franchise record (47) for most points in a season opener in Nuggets history.

 

On November 23, 2025, Gordon was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and ruled out for 4-to-6 weeks. He was later re-evaluated on January 29, 2026, and remains out as of February 2026.

 

Career Statistics and Achievements

 

Through 12 NBA seasons (as of 2025-26), Gordon has averaged 13.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game across 743 regular-season games. He has earned over $158 million in career earnings.

 

Personal Life

 

Gordon is active on social media and in various business ventures. He is known for his charitable work in both the Orlando and Denver communities. Following his brother Drew’s death in 2024, Gordon has been an advocate for road safety awareness.

 

References

 

External Links

* Aaron Gordon on NBA.com

* Aaron Gordon on Basketball-Reference.com