Aaron Gordon facts for kids

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For other uses, see Aaron Gordon (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
Aaron Gordon

Gordon with the Orlando Magic in 2019

No. 32 – Denver Nuggets

Power forward

Personal information

Born

September 16, 1995 (age 29)
San Jose, California, U.S.

High school

Archbishop Mitty
(San Jose, California)

Listed height

6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

Listed weight

235 lb (107 kg)

Career information

College

Arizona (2013–2014)

NBA Draft

2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall

Selected by the Orlando Magic

Pro career

2014–present

League

NBA

Career history

2014–2021

Orlando Magic

2021–present

Denver Nuggets

Career highlights and awards

NBA champion (2023)
Third-team All-America – SN (2014)
First-team All-Pac-12 (2014)
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2014)
McDonald's All-American Game MVP (2013)
First-team Parade All-American (2013)
2× California Mr. Basketball (2012, 2013)
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2013)
FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2013)

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing the United States
FIBA World U19 Cup
Gold	2013 Czech Republic	U.S. National team

Aaron Addison Gordon (born September 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Aaron was born in San Jose, California. He went to Archbishop Mitty High School where he helped his team win two state championships. He was also named California Mr. Basketball twice.

After high school, Gordon played one year of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. His team won the Pac-12 regular season title and made it to the Elite Eight in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

The Orlando Magic picked Aaron Gordon as the fourth overall player in the 2014 NBA draft. He has been a runner-up twice in the exciting NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He lost closely to Zach LaVine in 2016 and Derrick Jones Jr. in 2020. In 2021, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Gordon won his first NBA championship with the Nuggets in 2023.

Aaron Gordon's Early Life and Family

Aaron Gordon was born in San Jose, California. His father, Ed Gordon, was also a basketball player for San Diego State. His mother is Shelly Davis Gordon. Aaron has said that his great-great-grandfather was a tall Osage Indian. His father is Black, and his mother is White.

Aaron's older brother, Drew, also became a professional basketball player. His older sister, Elise, played college basketball for Harvard.

High School Basketball Success

Aaron went to Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. As a freshman, he played in most games and averaged 11.8 points and 10.1 rebounds. He also competed in track and field.

In his second year, Aaron helped his team win the CIF Division II state title. This was Mitty's first state title in men's basketball. He averaged 16.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game. In the 2011 championship game, he set a state record with 21 rebounds.

As a junior, Aaron led his team to their second CIF Division II state title. He scored 33 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the final game. For the season, he averaged 22.9 points and 12.8 rebounds. He was named the California Mr. Basketball Player of the Year.

In his senior year, Aaron averaged 21.6 points and 15.7 rebounds. Archbishop Mitty reached the CIF Open Division finals. Aaron was again chosen as the California Mr. Basketball Player of the Year.

Aaron Gordon performing an Alley oop at the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.

On April 2, 2013, Aaron decided to play for the University of Arizona. He announced this before the 2013 McDonald's All-American Game. In that game, he scored 24 points and had 8 rebounds. He led his team to a win and was named the game's MVP.

On January 17, 2020, Archbishop Mitty honored Aaron by retiring his number 32 jersey.

College Basketball Journey

Aaron Gordon started his college career with the Arizona Wildcats on November 8, 2013. In his first game, he scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

He scored a season-high 23 points in a game against Colorado. On March 2, 2014, he helped his team win the Pac-12 regular season title. He scored 19 points and had a career-high 15 rebounds in that game. Arizona finished the regular season with an impressive 28–3 record.

In the Pac-12 tournament, Arizona made it to the finals but lost to UCLA.

In the 2014 NCAA tournament, Arizona reached the Elite Eight. They had big wins against Weber State and Gonzaga. They then beat San Diego State before losing a very close game to Wisconsin.

Aaron was named one of the top 30 players for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. He was also named to the All-Pac-12 first team. He earned honors like Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He set a new freshman record for rebounds with 303. On April 15, 2014, he decided to enter the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Orlando Magic (2014–2021)

Starting with the Magic

On June 26, 2014, the Orlando Magic picked Aaron Gordon as the fourth player in the 2014 NBA draft. He signed with the Magic on July 2. Early in his first season, he fractured a bone in his left foot and missed 32 games. He returned in January 2015. On April 4, he got his first "double-double" (10 points and 12 rebounds) in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Exciting Slam Dunk Contests

In July 2015, Aaron played well in the 2015 NBA Summer League. He averaged 21.7 points and 11.7 rebounds. On November 4, 2015, he scored a career-high 19 points against the Houston Rockets. He tied this high and grabbed 14 rebounds in a win over the Boston Celtics.

During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, Aaron was the runner-up in the Slam Dunk Contest. His battle with Zach LaVine was very exciting. He used the Magic's mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon, in his dunks. His final dunk involved jumping over Stuff and passing the ball under both legs. He set a new career high with 22 points in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Gordon playing for the Magic in March 2017.

On December 14, 2016, Aaron scored a new career-high of 33 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. He participated in the Slam Dunk Contest again in 2017 but didn't make it past the first round. On March 31, 2017, he scored 32 points and had 16 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.

Big Scoring Nights

On October 24, 2017, Aaron scored a career-high 41 points against the Brooklyn Nets. He made a key three-pointer to help the Magic win. On November 29, 2017, he had 40 points and 15 rebounds. This helped Orlando end a nine-game losing streak. He also scored 39 points against the Miami Heat. He missed some games in February due to a hip injury. On March 24, 2018, he had 29 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists.

Playoff Debut

On July 6, 2018, Aaron signed again with the Magic. In the first game of the season, he had 26 points and 16 rebounds. On November 18, he scored 20 of his 31 points in the first quarter against the New York Knicks. On January 2, 2019, he had a career-high nine assists.

The Magic made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They played against the Toronto Raptors. On April 13, 2019, Aaron made his playoff debut. He had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists in a win. The Magic lost the series in five games. The Raptors went on to win the NBA Finals.

Another Dunk Contest and Triple-Double

On December 4, 2019, Aaron scored a season-high 32 points against the Phoenix Suns. He was again the runner-up in the Slam Dunk Contest during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend. He and Derrick Jones Jr. had perfect scores on their first two dunks. Jones won after a close overtime round.

On February 28, Aaron recorded his first "triple-double" (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists). This happened in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Magic made the playoffs again, but Aaron did not play due to a hamstring injury.

Trade Request

On March 19, 2021, Aaron scored a season-high 38 points against the Brooklyn Nets. He made a career-high seven three-pointers. On March 22, it was reported that Aaron had asked the Magic to trade him.

Denver Nuggets (2021–Present)

On March 25, 2021, Aaron Gordon was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He joined the Nuggets along with Gary Clark. In return, the Magic received Gary Harris, R. J. Hampton, and a future draft pick. Aaron had been averaging 14.6 points and 6.6 rebounds with the Magic that season.

On March 28, he played his first game for the Nuggets. He scored 13 points in a win against the Atlanta Hawks. The Nuggets made the playoffs but lost to the Phoenix Suns.

On January 11, 2022, Aaron scored a season-high 30 points and had 12 rebounds. In the playoffs, the Nuggets lost to the Golden State Warriors.

NBA Champion

During the 2022–23 season, many thought Aaron might be chosen as an NBA All-Star. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, he scored 23 points against the Phoenix Suns. In Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals, Aaron scored a playoff career-high 27 points against the Miami Heat. The Nuggets won the game. They went on to win Game 5, making Aaron an NBA champion. After the win, Aaron was seen celebrating with fans in downtown Denver.

In the 2023–24 season, Aaron missed some games after being bitten by a dog. In Game 3 of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers, he had playoff career-highs with 29 points and 15 rebounds. In Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he scored 27 points. The Nuggets lost to Minnesota in seven games.

Before the 2024–25 season, Aaron changed his jersey number from 50 to 32. This was to honor his older brother, Drew Gordon, who wore number 32 and passed away in May 2024. On October 21, 2024, Aaron and the Nuggets agreed to a new four-year contract.

Playing for Team USA

Aaron Gordon led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2011 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship. He had team-highs of 17.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game.

He was named MVP of the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Prague. He led the United States to another gold medal. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He was also part of the USA Developmental National Team in 2011–12.

Off the Court Activities

In 2016, Aaron became president of athlete acquisition for Lucid. This is a sports psychology app.

In 2020, Aaron partnered with the Chinese sports brand 361 Degrees. That same year, he donated to the Homeless Education Fund. This fund helps children affected by schools closing during the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2018, Aaron made his acting debut as Casper in the movie Uncle Drew. In 2020, he released a song called "Pull Up" with rap artist Moe.

Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games 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

NBA Regular Season Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2014–15	Orlando	47	8	17.0	.447	.271	.721	3.6	.7	.4	.5	5.2
2015–16	Orlando	78	37	23.9	.473	.296	.668	6.5	1.6	.8	.7	9.2
2016–17	Orlando	80	72	28.7	.454	.288	.719	5.1	1.9	.8	.5	12.7
2017–18	Orlando	58	57	32.9	.434	.336	.698	7.9	2.3	1.0	.8	17.6
2018–19	Orlando	78	78	33.8	.449	.349	.731	7.4	3.7	.7	.7	16.0
2019–20	Orlando	62	62	32.5	.437	.308	.674	7.7	3.7	.8	.6	14.4
2020–21	Orlando	25	25	29.4	.437	.375	.629	6.6	4.2	.6	.8	14.6
2020–21	Denver	25	25	25.9	.500	.266	.705	4.7	2.2	.7	.6	10.2
2021–22	Denver	75	75	31.7	.520	.335	.743	5.9	2.5	.6	.6	15.0
2022–23^†	Denver	68	68	30.2	.564	.347	.608	6.6	3.0	.8	.8	16.3
2023–24	Denver	73	73	31.5	.556	.290	.658	6.5	3.5	.8	.6	13.9
Career		669	580	29.3	.481	.323	.683	6.3	2.7	.7	.6	13.5

NBA Playoff Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2019	Orlando	5	5	32.8	.468	.400	.526	7.2	3.6	1.2	.2	15.2
2021	Denver	10	10	29.9	.434	.391	.640	5.4	2.0	.5	.3	11.1
2022	Denver	5	5	32.0	.426	.200	.714	7.2	2.6	.4	1.2	13.8
2023^†	Denver	20	20	35.6	.518	.391	.652	6.0	2.6	.6	.7	13.3
2024	Denver	12	12	37.1	.585	.407	.821	7.3	4.4	.8	.6	14.3
Career		52	52	34.2	.502	.374	.675	6.4	3.0	.7	.6	13.3

College Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2013–14	Arizona	38	38	31.2	.495	.356	.422	8.0	2.0	.9	1.0	12.4

Awards and Honors

High school

Aaron Gordon was MVP of the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.

2013: USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year
2013: FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP
2013: McDonald's All-American Game MVP
Jordan Brand All-American (2013)
2× California Mr. Basketball (2012, 2013)
2× CIF State champion (2011, 2012)

College

Pac-12 Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year (2014)
Pac-12 All-Tournament Team (2014)
Third team All-America – Sporting News (2014)
All-Pac-12 First Team (2014)
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2014)
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2014)

Images for kids

Gordon with the Orlando Magic in 2019
Gordon completing an Alley oop at the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.
Gordon with the Magic in March 2017
Gordon was MVP of the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.

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