Drew Gordon, former UCLA and NBA player, dies in car accident at age 33

Drew Gordon, a former UCLA and New Mexico center who later played for the Philadelphia 76ers, died Thursday in a car crash in Portland, Oregon. He was 33 years old.

Gordon grew up in San Jose and was a McDonald’s All-American at Archbishop Mitty High School. He played two seasons each for the Bruins and Lobos before embarking on a professional career that included stints in the NBA’s G League and numerous leagues overseas.

His younger brother Aaron Gordon is a starting forward for the Denver Nuggets. Drew Gordon has played in several Nuggets games this season.

“Drew was far too young to leave this world, but his legacy will live on through his three beautiful children and all of his loved ones,” the Nuggets posted on X on Thursday night. “Our thoughts are with Aaron and the Gordon family during this extremely difficult time.”

As a freshman at UCLA in 2008-09, the 6-foot-1 Gordon averaged 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 34 games as a substitute. He was the Bruins’ starting center for the first six games of his sophomore season, averaging 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2 blocks per game, before abruptly and amicably leaving the program after a dispute with then-coach Ben Howland.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Drew Gordon, a former UCLA forward who passed away at the age of 33,” the UCLA men’s basketball program posted on X Thursday night.

Gordon moved to New Mexico and found his place with the Lobos. He started 53 of his 61 games and averaged 13.4 points and 10.8 rebounds in two seasons.

“I’m just better,” Gordon, then a senior, told the Times in November 2011. “I liked my teammates at UCLA, I like my teammates here, and playing for (coach) Steve Alford is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”

The New Mexico men’s basketball program posted on X on Thursday night: “We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Drew Gordon. A two-time all-conference forward, he helped us win the 2012 Mountain West title.”

Gordon went undrafted out of college but landed with the 76ers organization, which expressed its condolences to Gordon’s family and friends Friday morning.

During the 2014–15 season, Gordon played nine games with the 76ers, averaging 1.9 points and 2 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game. In 41 games with the organization’s G League team, the Delaware Blue Coats, he averaged 13 points and 10.6 rebounds in 32.9 minutes per game.

Gordon also played 35 games for the Brooklyn Nets’ G-League affiliate on Long Island during the 2018–19 season, averaging 7.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game.

“Drew Gordon was my roommate, one of the best teammates I ever had, and my brother for life,” Gideon Gamble, who played with Gordon on the Blue Coats, posted on X. “He encouraged me when I was not active and was happy for me when I had good games. His wonderful family, parents and wife, treated me like family. My (sympathies) are with them.”

Gordon’s basketball career took him all over the world and included All-Star appearances in Italy and Russia. In early 2022, he was playing for BC Budivelnyk Kyiv when Russia invaded Ukraine. According to a 2022 ESPN Andscape article, Gordon left the area with his wife Angela and their family – which at the time included 3-year-old Zayne and 3-month-old Brody – to live in Denver near his brother and their parents.

“My family and I have been able to literally travel around the world and see things that most people don’t get to see, whether it’s one of the big cities in Russia, Turkey, France, Greece or whatever,” Gordon told ESPN Andscape. “We’ve been able to go and be part of that culture and that lifestyle.”