The Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon changed his number this season from 50 to 32, which he and his late brother, Drew, wore at Mitty. Gordon’s winning basket in Game 1 against the Thunder came with 3.2 seconds on the clock.
The Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon changed his number this season from 50 to 32, which he and his late brother, Drew, wore at Mitty. Gordon’s winning basket in Game 1 against the Thunder came with 3.2 seconds on the clock.
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Aaron Gordon has provided two of the most dramatic moments so far in the NBA playoffs.
Those last-second heroics came as no surprise to those who know the former Archbishop Mitty High star the best.
“Aaron has had so much success on every level he has played at, but seeing him thrive in the NBA as a teammate fills you with overwhelming pride,” Mitty coach Tim Kennedy said. “Especially knowing he keeps improving every year in multiple facets of his game.”
“That’s my best friend,” added former Mitty teammate Brandon Abajelo.
Gordon has already accomplished quite a bit in his 11-year NBA career. He is a two-time Slam Dunk Contest runner-up – some would say a snubbed two-time winner – and won a championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.
But Gordon’s reputation as a player has reached a new high-water mark this postseason. His penchant for coming through in key moments has secured multiple wins for Denver.
On April 26, his buzzer-beating putback dunk – the first in NBA playoff history – secured a pivotal Game 4 win for the Nuggets, evening their first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Then on Monday in Oklahoma City, his corner 3-pointer in the waning seconds finished off Denver’s comeback from a 14-point deficit, securing a 121-119 win over the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Through it all, Gordon has been the same guy, say those who knew him during his days in San Jose at Mitty. Now, it’s just a matter of more people taking notice.
“It’s been crazy,” Abajelo said on Thursday. “It feels like there’s been so many great, singular moments happening lately. He deserves stuff like that. The work that he put in has always been very constant, and it’s cool to see it all coming together in the biggest moments.
“I mean, his shooting this year has been crazy consistent. His form is looking a lot smoother. Crazy putback dunks and game-winners, those are the types of things that I feel like you can never plan those. But they just happen to you when you put in the work.”
Gordon, who converted a warehouse into a home that features a full basketball half court, has made a habit of practicing 3-pointers late into the night or early in the morning. It’s paid off, as a career 33.1% 3-point shooter has converted 43.6% of his attempts this season.
“I thought winning an NBA championship would be one of the things he is most known for, but his dunk to win the game with time expiring will go down as one of the most iconic finishes in NBA history,” Kennedy said. “Also, winning another playoff game with a 3-point shot is special because it shows how much he has worked to improve that part of his game.”
Gordon has been called the soul of the Nuggets by Denver interim coach David Adelman. Superstar center Nikola Jokic added, “He probably doesn’t get as much respect as he deserves. But I think he doesn’t need it.”
He definitely has it from those who mean the most to him. The Mitty basketball community was rocked by the tragic and unexpected death of Gordon’s older brother, Drew, last May.
Since then, Gordon has had to pick up the pieces along with his family and those closest to him. Gordon changed his number from 50 to 32, which he and Drew wore at Mitty and Drew sported in the professional ranks.
He’s taken on a role in helping raise Drew’s two young sons, Zayne and Brody, who accompanied him to his postgame press conference on Monday after the winning basket he made with – yes – 3.2 seconds on the clock.
Nothing can completely replace the void in his life left by Drew’s passing. But basketball, his friends and family are helping carry him through it day by day.
“It’s been a hard year with Drew passing and everything,” Abajelo said. “So I’m happy that all this good stuff is happening again.”
Abajelo and Gordon have been friends since they were 12 years old and played together on Mitty’s varsity team. Gordon was the linchpin in a prolific stretch for the Monarchs that included two CIF Division II state championships and a close loss to Mater Dei in the first CIF Open Division state championship game 12 years ago.
“He was just so much better than everybody at that level that it made the game so much easier for everybody,” Abajelo recalled. “Put us on more of a national presence in terms of the games that we’re playing. He definitely elevated it. He was the ultimate cheat code out there. Just a man amongst boys.”
Their friendship has persisted since their graduation in 2013, and they’ve been together through the high and lows since then. Abajelo was there when Gordon won his first NBA title in 2023 and has been there for him in the difficult last 12 months since Drew’s death.
“What makes him special is he’s a very chill guy,” Abajelo said. “He has a very pure, good perspective on life, understands what’s important, what’s not important, where to put energy. Just a kind, understanding guy. When his coach said he’s the soul of the team, it’s because he’s a soulful person, a mindful person.
“The type of person that can have very intricate, existential type of conversations, and he’s interested in that type of stuff. He’s a very grounded, chill guy throughout all the crazy fame.”
Those conversations have continued as Gordon navigates a new reality in the wake of losing his brother.
“It was terrible and just completely gutting,” Abajelo said. “Everyone was just heartbroken by it. For me, it’s been just God-awful. One of the worst things I’ve ever gone through. So it’s been hard. It sucks, but you try to do your absolute best and be there and try to keep it all together.”
Things will never be the same, but those around Gordon are committed to helping each other through the challenges facing them moving forward.
“When there’s high levels of grief, a lot of people try to see if they can propose a solution for somebody,” Abajelo said. “But there’s no solution. So it’s just about being there and being present and trying to keep spirits higher than they are.”
The positive moments that Gordon has authored recently have helped with that mission. Gordon’s family and friends have endured much sadness and pain in the last year.
Every little bit of joy helps.
And within the past few weeks, there has been plenty to go around.
“To have his coach call him ‘the soul of the team’ is one of the most impressive parts of who Aaron is,” Kennedy said. “I couldn’t be more happy or proud of him.”