The NBA community was rocked by tragedy for the second time in a week when news broke on Thursday, May 30, that former player Drew Gordon died in a car accident at age 33.
Gordon played in nine NBA games for the Philadelphia 76ers but made the most of a career overseas where he made All-Star teams in France and Russia. American basketball fans may remember him best as a member of the 2008-09 UCLA Bruins team and later as a standout all-conference player at New Mexico.
He’s also the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, the two-time Slam Dunk Contest runner-up and 2023 NBA champion.
“The Denver Nuggets organization is devastated to learn about the tragic passing of Drew Gordon,” the team wrote in a statement via X. “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.”
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Keep scrolling to meet the family that Drew leaves behind.
Angela Gordon
Angela Gordon Courtesy of Drew Gordon/Iinstagram
Angela and Drew married in 2019, according to Drew’s Instagram. One of his final posts was a tribute to his wife on her birthday in February, in which he joked that she was turning 21.
“Spent the day yesterday in the present and not posting on social media.. But happy birthday bubba (yesterday)!!! The big 21 😅 thank you for being you and putting up with my crazy!!” he wrote. “You have been killing it and will continue to do so!! I love youuu!!! We will go out for your first drink now that you are finally off drinking age😂😂”
Aaron Gordon
Drew’s brother, Aaron, was famous before he even finished high school as a McDonald’s All-American and one of the top-ranked recruits in his class. After one all-conference season at Arizona, Aaron entered the NBA Draft and was picked fourth overall by the Orlando Magic.
In the NBA, he’s best known for his legendary performance in the 2016 Slam Dunk contest, which he lost to Zach LaVine in what some call the best dunk contest of all time.
After Drew retired from basketball in June 2023, he spent the rest of that month following his brother through the NBA Finals, posting videos from the arena and at the Nuggets’ victory parade.
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Elise Gordon
A former athlete herself, Drew’s sister, Elise, is now an NBA agent and Harvard graduate. She and Drew were cofounders and co-CEOs of sports management company LVL Group.
Elise shared a close bond with her brothers. After last year’s NBA Draft, she reflected on Aaron’s journey from prospect to champion.
“With the @nba draft yesterday, it feels like a perfect time to reflect on the journey,” she wrote via Instagram. “Draft night is a night where dreams are realized for a small handful of select young men, yet for an even smaller group this is just where the dream begins. I am blessed to have been by the side of one of those young men. @aarongordon it’s been quite the journey, not without its ups and downs, highs and lows, injuries and highway robberies, but through it all you persevered and locked in on the highest goal, realizing that it’s way bigger than just you. It takes a team, the right team, and you played a major part in getting this team across the finish line.”
Jayden
Jayden Courtesy of Drew Gordon/Iinstagram
Jayden, 12, is Drew’s eldest son. Growing up during Drew’s overseas career, he was able to travel the world with his dad, joining him in Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and beyond. Drew posted birthday messages to him just about every year on his Instagram page, praising the young man Jayden had become.
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Zayne
Zayne Courtesy of Drew Gordon/Iinstagram
Zayne celebrated his fifth birthday on April 29, and from the day he was born, Drew appeared to have high hopes for him.
He wrote via Instagram: “You caught us by surprise .. lots of complications and unknowns.. but welcome to the world my HEALTHY Zayne!!!! you don’t know it yet but you have a whole squad waiting to help and love you. I love you more than you will ever know.. I can’t wait till you meet your big brother.. 4.24.19 DRAFT CLASS 2037”
Brody
Brody Courtesy of Drew Gordon/Iinstagram
Brody was born in Kyiv in January 2022 while Drew was playing in Ukraine. A little over a month later, Russia invaded Ukraine, causing the Gordon family to flee the country.
“Everything started to escalate, but with a new newborn, you should not travel,” Drew recalled to Andscape. “And with a mother that has literally just gone through a crazy [cesarean section] operation and is very new to the postpartum, it’s not advised to travel. So, we were waiting on his passport, his birth certificate, Social Security number, things like that. Even his Ukrainian citizenship and birth certificate, we were waiting on that. So, we were in close contact with the U.S. Embassy, trying to get the paperwork done.”
He added that while his coaches were preparing to continue their season, Drew had to shift his focus from basketball to his family’s safety.
“I essentially said, ‘I’m leaving.’ I don’t know how everybody else feels,” he recalled. “I was one of the only guys on the team that had a family, that had kids and a wife, other things to think about besides ourselves.”
