Eric Gordon Bio
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. (born December 25, 1988) is a Bahamian-American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard listed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and 215 lb (98 kg), he has built a reputation as a dynamic scorer and one of the league’s most reliable long-range shooters. Over a career that began in 2008, Gordon has suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and the 76ers, earning the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award along the way.
Gordon first gained national attention as a high school star in Indianapolis before becoming a one-year standout at Indiana University. He was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 NBA Draft and has since been recognized with NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors, an NBA Three-Point Contest title, and selection to USA Basketball’s national team program.
Early Life and Background
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. was born on December 25, 1988, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. He grew up near a Jewish Community Center across the street from his childhood home, where he began playing sports at age four, starting with soccer before quickly turning to basketball. By age seven, he was competing at the Municipal Gardens, laying the foundation for a basketball career that would soon attract national attention.
Gordon attended Fox Hill Elementary School, Northview Middle School, and North Central High School, where he played varsity basketball all four years. He came from a basketball family. His mother, Denise, is a native of Nassau, The Bahamas, and met his father, Eric Gordon Sr., at Liberty University, where Gordon Sr. played college basketball and remains the program’s 18th-leading scorer. Gordon has two younger brothers, Evan and Eron, both of whom went on to play college basketball.
Path to Basketball
Gordon’s path to elite basketball accelerated during high school, when he became one of the most heavily recruited players in the country. As a sophomore in 2005, he made an early verbal commitment to the University of Illinois and head coach Bruce Weber, drawing interest from programs such as Duke, Arizona, and Notre Dame. His recruitment became a national storyline, in part because of his talent and the high-profile competition between Illinois and Indiana University.
After Indiana hired Kelvin Sampson in March 2006 and brought in Jeff Meyer, Gordon Sr.’s former college coach, Gordon reopened his recruitment. On October 13, 2006, Eric Sr. announced that his son had decided to switch his commitment to Indiana, and Gordon signed a National Letter of Intent on November 8, 2006. He was ranked the No. 2 high school prospect in the class of 2007 by Rivals.com, behind Michael Beasley, and was named a McDonald’s All-American and Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2007. He led North Central to the Indiana 4A title game as a senior, averaging 29 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 57.0% from the field and 46.2% from three-point range.
Eric Gordon Career
Early Career (2007–2008)
Gordon played one season of college basketball at Indiana University, where he wore number 23 and made an immediate impact. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, earned First-team All-Big Ten honors, and was selected as a third-team All-American by The Associated Press. Gordon set an Indiana and Big Ten record with 669 points as a freshman, leading the conference in scoring at 20.9 points per game and finishing tied for 19th nationally at 21.5 points per game.
Despite battling a shooting slump and a wrist injury late in the season, Gordon declared for the 2008 NBA Draft on April 4, 2008, at the Jewish Community Center where his love for the game had first taken root. He was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers, becoming one of the most anticipated rookies in the league.
Los Angeles Clippers Breakthrough (2008–2011)
Gordon opened his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers and quickly showed his scoring ability, scoring 33 points in 31 minutes during only his second preseason game. On January 23, 2009, he set a Clippers franchise record for most points scored by a rookie with 41 points, and he was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January 2009. He finished his rookie year averaging 16.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, was unanimously selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.
During the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend, Gordon competed in the inaugural Sprite All-Star Slam Dunk-In and was selected to the T-Mobile NBA Rookie Challenge. He helped Team USA win gold at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, then emerged as a breakout scorer the following season, averaging 22.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. His progress was slowed by wrist injuries, including a bone chip fracture, but he still finished as the Clippers’ second-leading scorer before being traded to the New Orleans Hornets in the Chris Paul deal on December 14, 2011.
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans Era (2011–2016)
Gordon debuted for the New Orleans Hornets with a 20-point effort and a game-winning shot against the Phoenix Suns, but a cartilage injury in his right knee required arthroscopic surgery in February 2012. He returned late in the season, signed a four-year offer sheet with Phoenix worth roughly $58 million in July 2012, and watched the Hornets match the deal to keep him.
Over his five seasons in New Orleans, Gordon battled knee, shoulder, and hand injuries but delivered several standout performances. He scored 35 points against the Houston Rockets on January 15, 2014, and made a career-best 44.8% of his three-point attempts during the 2014–15 season, finishing second in the league behind Kyle Korver. He helped the Pelicans reach the 2015 playoffs and recorded 29 points in Game 4 against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors, even though New Orleans was swept.
Houston Rockets Era (2016–2023)
On July 9, 2016, Gordon signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets, where he became one of the league’s premier reserves. On February 18, 2017, he edged Kyrie Irving to win the NBA Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, and he set an NBA record with 180 three-pointers off the bench in 2016–17. That season, he became the first player in franchise history to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, averaging 16.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 75 games.
Gordon remained a key piece of the Rockets’ contending rosters, hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night in 2017 and scoring 24 points off the bench in Game 5 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals against Golden State. On January 27, 2020, he erupted for a career-high 50 points against the Utah Jazz, becoming the first Rocket other than James Harden to score 50 in 24 years. He signed a four-year, $75.6 million extension in September 2019 but struggled with knee and groin injuries as the Rockets underwent roster turnover in 2020–21 and 2021–22.
Return to the Clippers and Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
On February 9, 2023, Gordon was traded back to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal involving the Memphis Grizzlies, but was waived on June 28, 2023. He signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Phoenix Suns on July 6, 2023, where he provided veteran shooting off the bench before opting out of his $3.4 million player option on June 27, 2024, to become a free agent.
Philadelphia 76ers Era (2024–Present)
Gordon signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 10, 2024. He played in 39 games during the 2024–25 season, averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, but his campaign was cut short by arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist on February 26, 2025. On June 29, 2025, he declined his $3.4 million player option and re-signed with the 76ers on a one-year, $3.6 million deal on July 1, 2025, making six appearances in the 2025–26 season before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on February 5, 2026, and waived the following day.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gordon is best known as a three-level scorer who excels as a movement shooter off screens and a dangerous catch-and-fire threat from beyond the arc. His quick release, deep range, and comfort operating as a secondary creator made him an ideal fit alongside ball-dominant stars in Houston. He has also shown the toughness to play through injuries and provide playoff-level shot-making.
Notable Events and Milestones
Gordon’s signature moments include his career-high 50-point game against the Utah Jazz on January 27, 2020, his record-setting 180 three-pointers off the bench in 2016–17, and his game-winning buzzer-beater against the 76ers on October 25, 2017. He also captured gold at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and helped The Bahamas win the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament, leading the team with 27 points in the championship game.
Eric Gordon Career Wins
Gordon has compiled a deep resume of team and individual accomplishments across more than 15 NBA seasons, highlighted by the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and the 2017 NBA Three-Point Contest title. He has reached the playoffs multiple times, including deep Western Conference Finals runs with the Houston Rockets in 2018 and 2019, and helped the Pelicans qualify for the postseason in 2015.
NBA Highlights
Gordon’s top NBA honors include the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, the 2017 NBA Three-Point Contest championship, and selection to the 2008–09 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He set a Clippers rookie scoring record with 41 points on January 23, 2009, and established an NBA record with 180 three-pointers off the bench in 2016–17. His 2019–20 campaign featured a career-high 50-point performance against the Utah Jazz.
National Team and Other Performances
Gordon won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, averaging 8.6 points across nine games and finishing second on the team in three-point percentage. After FIBA cleared him to switch national teams in August 2023, he represented The Bahamas at the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament, scoring 27 points in the championship game to help the Bahamas qualify for the 2024 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Eric Gordon Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Gordon’s basketball roots trace back to his parents. His father, Eric Gordon Sr., played at Liberty University, where he remains the program’s 18th-leading scorer, and later served as an assistant coach at Indiana under Kelvin Sampson. His mother, Denise, was born in Nassau, The Bahamas, and met Gordon Sr. at Liberty. Gordon has two younger brothers, Evan and Eron, both of whom played college basketball at programs including Liberty, Arizona State, Indiana, Seton Hall, and Valparaiso.
Personal Life
Gordon has ties to both the United States and The Bahamas through his parents, and he represented the Bahamas at the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament. In November 2020, he opened Eric Gordon’s Greek’s Pizzeria in Bloomington, Indiana, directly across from Memorial Stadium, connecting his professional career to the college town where he starred for one season.
2025 Season Performance
Gordon’s 2025 calendar covered the back half of his 2024–25 Philadelphia 76ers campaign and the opening of the 2025–26 season. After averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across 39 games in 2024–25, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist on February 26, 2025, ending his season after a roughly three-month recovery. He declined his $3.4 million player option on June 29, 2025, and re-signed with the 76ers on July 1, 2025, on a one-year, $3.6 million deal.
In the early 2025–26 season, Gordon appeared in six games for Philadelphia, averaging 5.5 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on February 5, 2026, and waived the following day. His role remained that of a veteran shooting guard providing bench scoring and perimeter shooting for a 76ers team focused on playoff contention.
Looking ahead, Gordon entered free agency again in 2026 as a battle-tested shooting guard with more than 15 seasons of NBA experience. His combination of three-point shooting, playoff poise, and willingness to accept a reserve role made him a candidate to contribute for a contending team in need of perimeter scoring.
