Former NBA player Drew Gordon, the older brother of the Denver Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon, passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident in Portland, Oregon.
He was 33.
Gordon played in nine games for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2014-2015 season.
Former NBA player Drew Gordon, the brother of Aaron Gordon, died in a car accident Thursday, his agent confirmed to @MarcJSpears.
He was 33 years old. pic.twitter.com/SS0aPe8ybj
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 31, 2024
Per ESPN:
A native of San Jose, California, Gordon’s pro basketball journey also included stops in the G League, Serbia, Sardinia, Turkey, France, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and three different teams in Russia.
The former McDonald’s All-American played collegiately at UCLA and New Mexico.
He is survived by his wife, Angela, and three children.
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Drew Gordon has passed away in a car accident at 33 years old. Gordon played nine games for the 76ers in the 2014-15 season and has played professionally in US and abroad since college ball at New Mexico and UCLA. Drew is the older brother of Nuggets F Aaron Gordon. RIP.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 31, 2024
💔 We are heartbroken over the passing of Drew Gordon. A two-time all-conference forward, he helped lead us to the 2012 Mountain West title. pic.twitter.com/tdleKSxTOF
— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) May 31, 2024
“The Denver Nuggets organization is devastated to learn about the tragic passing of Drew Gordon. Drew was far too young to leave this world, but his legacy will forever live on through his three beautiful children and all of his loved ones. Our hearts are with Aaron and the Gordon family during this extremely difficult time,” the Denver Nuggets stated.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 31, 2024
PEOPLE reports:
Per CBS Sports, Drew’s college career began at UCLA, where he spent two years in the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball program. He then transferred to New Mexico for junior season, joining the New Mexico Lobos men’s basketball team for two seasons.
Despite averaging at least 13 points and 10 rebounds every game, Drew did not make the 2012 NBA draft, according to the outlet, but still had a successful basketball career.
CBS Sports reported that Drew went on to play for the Dallas Mavericks in the Summer League before switching between foreign leagues and the G League.
“Drew continued playing professional basketball for nearly ten years after his time at the Philadelphia 76ers. With most of his career taking place abroad, he went on to receive the title of All-Star in France in 2015, before retiring in 2023,” PEOPLE noted.
