Since his collegiate career ended in April, after the University of Arizona Wildcats lost in the Elite Eight and he declared for the NBA Draft, freshman phenom Aaron Gordon has been in the lab. The nearly 6-8 forward took up residence in Southern California, where he’s been working out religiously. More recently, he traveled to Chicago, IL, for the NBA Draft Combine, and to Manhattan, NY, for the Draft lottery drawing. Gordon, the athletic younger brother of former high school star Drew Gordon, made a positive impression at both events. Barring something major, he’s expected to go in the lottery portion of the Draft.Ā
With less than a week until the Draft, which is being held in Brooklyn, NY, the affable Gordon has agreed to keep a weekly diary with SLAMonline. In the fourth entryācatch the first diary entry here,Ā Ā the second entry here, and the third diary entry hereāGordon, who averaged 12.4 ppg and 8 rpg at Arizona, details his experiences working out for the Celtics, Magic and more.
by Aaron GordonĀ (as told to Tzvi Twersky)
After I left Utah, I went back to P3, where I work out. You know how P3 is. Itās just a really, really good place. I worked on mobility, strength, loosening up my jointsājust things to get me right. I was there with other players, but at the same time they do a good job of making you feel like itās individual. They always have separate things for different players. They realize that not everybodyās body is the same.
At this point in the process, Iām just trying to stay sharp and shoot the ball as consistently as I can. Iāve found a stroke, and now itās about shooting it as consistently as possible. Thatās really what it comes down to.
My next stop was Boston. I saw what they had to offer. It was a competitive workout with CJ Fair, Rodney Hood, Doug McDermott, Jerami Grant. I wouldnāt say it was easier than my first workouts, but my nerves had settled down. We played threes, and I had to guard Doug again, automatically.
Around that time, the media was saying that Boston wanted to draft meābut itās hard to listen to the media right now. The media says so many things everyday. They change their minds everyday. They wake up with new opinions, and if one media members says it, the rest of the media follows it. So itās not something I listen to.
I look at these workouts as job interviews. Each time I come out, I try to excel as best as I can in a job interview. Thatās how I take it. Even though it is a sport I love to do, it is important and thatās what I try to do. I still have fun out there, though. I get to show what I can do. I got to show how I can dribble the ball, and that my versatility doesnāt mean ātweener,ā it actually means I can play different positions.
Boston was a really good trip. I got to meet Brad Stevens, Danny Ainge, couple other guys on the staff. The team has crazy tradition and the cityās lovely, so weāll see how it goes. At the end of the day, itās up to somebody else.
I was in Boston for two days, then I flew to Orlando. I was in Orlando for two days.
It was a one-on-none workout in Orlando. I shot the ball pretty well. I showed them the different things I can do, like, how smoothly I can shoot the ball with range, my versatility.
Orlando is a cool organization. They have good people surrounding the organization, from Rob Hennigan to Scott Perry to the coach, Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn is a real cool dude and a real good hooper. I got a real sense of family there, a good bond. Theyāre smart, young people who understand where the players are coming from. Rob is a good GM and I think heāll be a great one someday.
After that, I came home and got to see my brother and sister and parents. Automatically, me and my brother (Drew) got in the gym and started going at each other. It had been a while since we playedāhe came to a game in Arizona six months ago.
My brother looks like he knows how to score the ball better than ever. His jumper is, like, a pro. He looks like a pro. Heās been overseas for two or three years, and he looks like a pro now. The way he shoots, the way he dribbles, the way he understands the gameāhe looks like a pro with the ball in his hands. Iām proud of him.
Heāll never tell me how good I am, but I know he knows. Heās my biggest fan, and Iām his biggest fan. We have mutual respect, and we always try to make each other better.
The Draft is coming! Each day, I check the calendar. Right now, Iām looking at suits. Itās starting to get exciting. Weāll see whose suits I go with, but Iām going to be looking nice, regardless. Thereās no such thing as fitting in with this suit. You get this day once, so you have to go all out. You want to look nice and classy, but definitely loud.
Iām so excited to be in New York for the Draft. Iāll be with like four friends and family. Itās going to be memorable.
PS: Thereās this picture floating around of me on Twitter. Itās crazy.
I was chilling, just resting my eyes on the train after a two-a-day. A couple hours later, there was just a random picture of me on Twitter. I had no idea someone had taken a picture. I guess people are starting to recognize me, but I donāt carry myself in a way that you would think I was a professional athlete. When Iām off the court, I carry myself like a normal person so people are never sure if that person they see is me or a look-alike.
PPS: I got moved up to first class on the second leg of a flight from Utah to Oakland. A lady recognized me and said that her son was a real big fan, so she moved me from coach to first. Thatās love. It just shows that people appreciate you for playing basketball, and people are looking up to you and aspiring to be where you are.