Eric Gordon Bio
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. is a Bahamian-American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on December 25, 1988, in Indianapolis, Indiana, he has built a reputation as a dependable scorer and three-point shooter across more than 15 NBA seasons. A former top high school recruit and Big Ten scoring leader, Gordon earned the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award during a standout run with the Houston Rockets.
Early Life and Background
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. grew up in Indianapolis and was introduced to basketball at age four at the Jewish Community Center across the street from his home. He began with soccer before quickly shifting his focus to basketball, and by age seven he was playing competitive games at the Municipal Gardens. He attended Fox Hill Elementary School, Northview Middle School, and North Central High School, where he played varsity basketball all four years.
As a senior at North Central, Gordon led the Panthers to the Indiana 4A title game and averaged 29 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 57.0 percent from the field. He scored 50 points twice during the season and was named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2007, along with being selected as a McDonald’s All-American. Rivals.com rated him the No. 2 high school prospect in the class of 2007.
Gordon comes 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 his father played and remains the program’s 18th-leading scorer. He has two younger brothers, Evan and Eron, who also played college basketball.
Path to Basketball
Gordon first drew national attention through AAU play, where he teamed with future NBA players including Mike Conley Jr., Josh McRoberts, Daequan Cook, Derrick Rose, and Greg Oden. He committed verbally to Illinois in 2005 before reopening his recruitment in 2006 and ultimately signing a National Letter of Intent with Indiana University in November 2006.
As a freshman at Indiana, Gordon led the Big Ten in scoring and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a third-team All-American. He set an Indiana and Big Ten freshman scoring record with 669 points and finished the year averaging 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. On April 4, 2008, he announced at the Jewish Community Center that he would enter the 2008 NBA Draft.
Eric Gordon Career
Early Career (2008-2011)
Gordon was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 NBA Draft. He set a Clippers franchise record for most points by a rookie with 41 points on January 23, 2009, and was unanimously named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. He averaged 16.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 34.3 minutes per game during his debut season.
By his third season, Gordon had developed into the Clippers’ second-leading scorer at 22.3 points per game, though injuries to his wrist limited his availability. He was named to the 2010-12 USA Men’s National Team Program and helped Team USA win gold at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, finishing second on the team in three-pointers made.
Los Angeles Clippers Breakthrough (2008-2011)
Gordon’s first three NBA seasons were spent with the Los Angeles Clippers, who drafted him seventh overall in 2008. He emerged as one of the league’s promising young scorers, highlighted by his 41-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in January 2009. He participated in the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend, taking part in the Rookie Challenge and the inaugural Sprite Slam Dunk-In.
Following the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal, Gordon was on pace for a breakout year before a hard foul against Golden State led to a bone chip fracture in his wrist. He still finished the 2010-11 season as the Clippers’ second-leading scorer, averaging 22.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while scoring 30 or more points eight times.
New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans Era (2011-2016)
On December 14, 2011, Gordon was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in the deal that sent Chris Paul to the Clippers. His Hornets debut produced 20 points and the game-winning shot in an 85-84 victory over the Phoenix Suns, though a cartilage injury to his right knee required arthroscopic surgery and limited him to nine games that season. He signed a four-year, $58 million offer sheet with Phoenix in July 2012, which New Orleans matched.
Gordon’s tenure in New Orleans was repeatedly interrupted by knee and shoulder injuries, including a torn left labrum in 2014 and a fractured right ring finger in 2016. Despite the injuries, he led the Pelicans in scoring during the 2012-13 season with 17.0 points per game and helped New Orleans reach the 2015 playoffs, where he recorded 16 points in his playoff debut and 29 points in Game 4 against the eventual-champion Golden State Warriors.
Houston Rockets Era (2016-2023)
On July 9, 2016, Gordon signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets. In his first season, he set an NBA record with 180 three-pointers made in 49 games off the bench, won the Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend, and was named the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, becoming the first player in franchise history to earn the award.
Gordon remained a central figure during the Rockets’ deep playoff runs, scoring 24 points in Game 5 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals to help Houston take a 3-2 lead over Golden State. He later signed a four-year, $75.6 million extension in September 2019 and scored a career-high 50 points against the Utah Jazz on January 27, 2020. Recurring groin and knee injuries limited him to 27 games in 2020-21 and ended his 2021-22 season prematurely.
Return to the Clippers and Phoenix (2023-2024)
On February 9, 2023, Gordon was traded back to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal involving the Memphis Grizzlies, though he was waived on June 28, 2023. He then signed with the Phoenix Suns on July 6, 2023, before opting out of his contract on June 27, 2024, to become a free agent.
Philadelphia 76ers Era (2024-Present)
Gordon signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 10, 2024. He played in 39 games with 13 starts during the 2024-25 season, averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist on February 26, 2025, which effectively ended his season. He declined his $3.4 million player option on June 29, 2025, and re-signed with the 76ers on a one-year, $3.6 million contract on July 1, 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Gordon’s most defining single-game moment came on January 27, 2020, when he scored a career-high 50 points against the Utah Jazz, becoming the first Rockets player other than James Harden to score 50 in 24 years. He also set an NBA record for three-pointers off the bench in a single season with 180 in 2016-17 and won the 2017 Three-Point Contest, edging Kyrie Irving in the final.
Eric Gordon Career Wins
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. has compiled a steady resume of individual accolades and team successes across the NBA and USA Basketball. His most celebrated achievements include the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship with Team USA.
NBA Highlights
Gordon’s signature NBA season came in 2016-17 with the Houston Rockets, when he set a league record for three-pointers made off the bench (180), won the Three-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend, and was named the 2017 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Earlier, he earned a spot on the 2008-09 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after setting the Clippers’ rookie scoring record with 41 points in January 2009.
International Highlights
Gordon helped Team USA finish 9-0 and capture the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, finishing second on the team in three-pointers made (19) and three-point percentage (.452). In 2023, FIBA permitted him to switch national team allegiance to The Bahamas, and he led the Bahamas in scoring with 27 points in the championship game of the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament, helping the country qualify for the 2024 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Eric Gordon Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Eric Ambrose Gordon Jr. was raised in a basketball-oriented household. His father, Eric Gordon Sr., played college basketball at Liberty University, where he remains the program’s 18th-leading scorer, and later coached his son at North Central High School. His mother, Denise, is a native of Nassau, The Bahamas, and met Gordon Sr. at Liberty. Both of Gordon’s younger brothers, Evan and Eron, played college basketball, with Evan suiting up for Liberty, Arizona State, and Indiana, and Eron playing at Seton Hall and Valparaiso.
Personal Life
Gordon holds dual Bahamian-American nationality through his mother’s heritage and represented The Bahamas in international competition after FIBA cleared his switch in August 2023. In November 2020, he opened Eric Gordon’s Greek’s Pizzeria in Bloomington, Indiana, located across from Memorial Stadium. Off the court, Gordon is active on social media, where he can be followed at theofficialeg10 on X and officialeg10 on Instagram.
2025 Season Performance
Gordon’s 2024-25 season with the Philadelphia 76ers was disrupted by injury. He played in 39 games with 13 starts, averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game as a veteran reserve. On February 26, 2025, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist, and the three-month recovery period effectively ended his campaign.
Despite the abbreviated season, Gordon remained a respected veteran presence in the locker room. On June 29, 2025, he declined his $3.4 million player option to test free agency, only to re-sign with the 76ers two days later on a one-year, $3.6 million contract. The agreement signaled the franchise’s continued confidence in his three-point shooting and playoff experience as it built its 2025-26 roster.
Looking ahead, Gordon is expected to serve as a secondary scoring option and floor spacer for Philadelphia in 2025-26. His track record as a career 37 percent three-point shooter and former Sixth Man of the Year gives the 76ers a reliable bench weapon, provided he returns to full health following wrist surgery. With the 76ers retooling around their young core, Gordon’s shooting and veteran leadership will be central to the team’s pursuit of a deep postseason run.