LOS ANGELES – Not long into his introductory news conference after being selected fourth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft, Aaron Gordon boldly predicted that he would someday win the league’s Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
With the way that Gordon has been slowing superstar foes of late, that audacious prognostication seems to be coming closer to a reality for the blossoming 21-year-old forward.
Gordon has used his rare combination of size (220 pounds), length (6-foot-9) and explosive athleticism (See: 2015 Slam Dunk Contest) to make life miserable of late for elite scorers such as James Harden and Carmelo Anthony.