Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Eric Gordon

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Eric Gordon made an impact.

Eric Gordon is a Bahamian-American professional basketball player currently with the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. A standout player since high school, where he was named Indiana Mr. Basketball, Gordon gained significant media attention during his recruitment period, particularly the competition between the University of Illinois and Indiana University to secure him. He is known for his talent and high level of play.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

2004: Indiana Fails to Make NCAA Tournament

In 2004, Indiana failed to make the NCAA tournament, contributing to a lack of support for then-head coach Mike Davis.

November 30, 2005: Verbal Commitment to Illinois

On November 30, 2005, Eric Gordon made a verbal commitment to play basketball for Bruce Weber at Illinois, choosing Illinois due to his comfort with Weber, the proximity of the campus to his home, and the success of former Illini guards in the NBA.

2005: Indiana Fails to Make NCAA Tournament

In 2005, Indiana failed to make the NCAA tournament, contributing to a lack of support for then-head coach Mike Davis.

2005: Verbal Commitment to Illinois

In 2005, during his sophomore year of high school, Eric Gordon made an early verbal commitment to play basketball for Bruce Weber at the University of Illinois.

February 15, 2006: Mike Davis's Resignation

On February 15, 2006, Sports Illustrated reported that Mike Davis, then the head coach at Indiana University, intended to resign after the 2005–06 season, due in part to a lack of support.

March 2006: Kelvin Sampson Hired

In March 2006, Indiana hired Kelvin Sampson as the new men's basketball coach.

July 2006: Gordon Considers Indiana

In July 2006, Eric Gordon was recruited by Sampson's staff and considered opting out of his verbal commitment to Illinois due to concerns about Weber's recruiting class. During that month, Gordon played with Derrick Rose to convince him to join Illinois, but Rose declined.

September 2, 2006: Unofficial Visit to Indiana

On September 2, 2006, Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose made an unofficial visit to Indiana, further fueling speculation about Gordon's commitment switch.

October 13, 2006: Commitment to Indiana

On October 13, 2006, Eric Gordon Sr. announced that his son had officially decided to switch his commitment and play basketball for Indiana University.

November 8, 2006: Signed Letter of Intent with Indiana

On November 8, 2006, Eric Gordon signed a National Letter of Intent with Indiana University.

2006: Recruiting Competition

In 2006, Eric Gordon's high level of play made his recruitment by the University of Illinois and Indiana University a subject of media coverage.

2007: Named Indiana's Mr. Basketball

In 2007, Eric Gordon was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" and a McDonald's All-American after leading North Central to the Indiana 4A title game and averaging 29 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. He was also ranked the nation's #2 high school prospect.

2007: Strong Recruiting Class for Indiana

In 2007, Eric Gordon's commitment gave Indiana a very strong recruiting class. Sampson and Weber received criticism for failing to communicate about Gordon's recruitment.

March 10, 2008: Big Ten Freshman of the Year

On March 10, 2008, Eric Gordon was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the First Team of the Big Ten Conference by the coaches and media. He was also a third-team All-American.

April 4, 2008: Enters NBA Draft

On April 4, 2008, Eric Gordon announced that he would enter the 2008 NBA draft.

July 13, 2008: Injury Sidelines Gordon

On July 13, 2008, Eric Gordon injured his hamstring during the NBA Summer League. The Los Angeles Clippers confirmed he would miss the rest of the summer league due to the strained left hamstring.

2008: NBA Draft and College Career

In 2008, Eric Gordon entered the NBA draft after one season of college basketball at Indiana where he led the Big Ten in scoring. He was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers.

December 14, 2011: Traded to New Orleans Hornets

On December 14, 2011, Eric Gordon was traded to the New Orleans Hornets along with Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and a 2012 first-round pick in exchange for Chris Paul and two future second-round picks.

February 14, 2012: Knee Surgery

On February 14, 2012, Eric Gordon underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee and was out of action for 6 weeks due to cartilage damage in his right knee.

April 4, 2012: Returns to Action

On April 4, 2012, Eric Gordon returned to face the Denver Nuggets, scoring 15 points and contributing to the New Orleans Hornets' 94–92 victory.

July 11, 2012: Offer Sheet with Phoenix Suns

On July 11, 2012, Eric Gordon signed an offer sheet with the Phoenix Suns reportedly worth $58 million for four years.

July 14, 2012: Hornets Match Offer Sheet

On July 14, 2012, the New Orleans Hornets matched the four-year offer sheet signed by Eric Gordon with the Phoenix Suns.

November 7, 2012: Rehab in Los Angeles

On November 7, 2012, Eric Gordon was sent to Los Angeles to get more personalized rehabilitation work to help in his knee recovery and strengthen his quad muscles.

December 29, 2012: Season Debut Against Charlotte Bobcats

On December 29, 2012, Eric Gordon made his season debut against the Charlotte Bobcats, scoring 24 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals in less than 25 minutes, contributing to the New Orleans Hornets' 98–95 victory.

2012: Missed Playoffs

In 2012, the Rockets finished with a 17–55 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

January 5, 2013: Returns to Starting Lineup, Hits Game-Winner

On January 5, 2013, Eric Gordon returned to the starting lineup and hit the game-winning shot with 4.7 seconds left against the Dallas Mavericks, helping the New Orleans Hornets secure a 99–96 overtime win.

April 10, 2013: Cleared for Back-to-Back Games

On April 10, 2013, Eric Gordon played his first back-to-back set of the season against the Sacramento Kings after being cleared by team doctors from previous restrictions.

April 2013: Hornets Renamed Pelicans

In April 2013, the Hornets were renamed the New Orleans Pelicans. Also, Gordon finished the season as the Hornets' leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points per game.

November 29, 2013: 26 Points and 7 Assists

On November 29, 2013, Eric Gordon recorded 26 points and 7 assists in a 121–105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

2013: Season Stats

In 2013, Eric Gordon finished the 2013–14 season averaging 15.4 points per game, 2.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in 64 games.

January 15, 2014: Scores 35 Points Against Rockets

On January 15, 2014, Eric Gordon recorded 35 points, on 11-for-17 shooting, and 6 assists, in a 100–103 loss to the Houston Rockets.

March 4, 2014: Scores 28 Points in Win

On March 4, 2014, Eric Gordon scored 28 points, going 9-for-13 from the field, including 4-for-5 on three-pointers, leading the Pelicans to a 132–125 road win.

2014: Finished the 2014-15 season

In 2014, Eric Gordon finished the 2014–15 season averaging 13.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 61 games. He had the best long-range shooting year of his career with 44.8 percent from beyond the three-point line. Gordon helped the Pelicans qualify for the playoffs.

January 5, 2015: Returns from Shoulder Injury

On January 5, 2015, Eric Gordon returned to the court against the Washington Wizards after missing 21 games due to a torn labrum. He recorded 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in the loss.

June 18, 2015: Exercises Player Option

On June 18, 2015, Eric Gordon exercised his player option for the 2015–16 season, continuing his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans.

2015: Played in all 41 games for the Pelicans

In 2015, Eric Gordon appeared in all 41 games for the Pelicans to begin the 2015–16 season, starting in 40 of them and logging at least 15 minutes in every game.

2015: NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

In 2015, Eric Gordon finished the 2016–17 season averaging 16.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 75 games (60 games as their primary reserve) and was named the recipient of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.

July 9, 2016: Signs with Houston Rockets

On July 9, 2016, Eric Gordon signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets, marking a new chapter in his NBA career.

January 2, 2017: Scores Season-High 31 Points

On January 2, 2017, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 31 points in a 101–91 win over the Washington Wizards, showcasing his offensive capabilities for the Houston Rockets.

October 25, 2017: Game-Winning Buzzer-Beater

On October 25, 2017, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 29 points and hit the game-winning buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift the Houston Rockets to a 105–104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

March 27, 2018: Scores 31 Points with Eight 3-Pointers

On March 27, 2018, Eric Gordon scored 31 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers in a 118–86 win over the Chicago Bulls, demonstrating his scoring prowess.

November 26, 2018: Scores Season-High 36 Points

On November 26, 2018, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 36 points in a 135–131 overtime loss to the Washington Wizards.

January 16, 2019: Returns from Knee Injury

On January 16, 2019, Eric Gordon returned from a bruised right knee injury, scoring 20 points in a 145–142 overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

September 4, 2019: Signs Contract Extension with Rockets

On September 4, 2019, Eric Gordon signed a four-year, $75.6 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets, securing his future with the team.

January 27, 2020: Scores Career-High 50 Points

On January 27, 2020, Eric Gordon scored a career-high 50 points in a 126–117 win against the Utah Jazz, becoming the third Rocket that season to score 40 or more points in a single game.

2020: Rockets Traded All-Star Guard Russell Westbrook

In 2020, the Houston Rockets went through a major shift, trading All-Star guard Russell Westbrook during the offseason.

January 23, 2021: Scores Season-High 33 Points

On January 23, 2021, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 33 points in a 133–108 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

December 13, 2021: Scores Season-High 32 Points

On December 13, 2021, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 32 points in a 132–126 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

February 3, 2023: Scores Season-High 28 Points

On February 3, 2023, Eric Gordon scored a season-high 28 points in a 117–111 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

February 9, 2023: Traded Back to Los Angeles Clippers

On February 9, 2023, Eric Gordon was traded back to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade involving the Memphis Grizzlies.

June 28, 2023: Waived by Clippers

On June 28, 2023, Eric Gordon was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers, making him a free agent.

July 6, 2023: Signs with Phoenix Suns

On July 6, 2023, Eric Gordon signed with the Phoenix Suns, marking another team in his NBA career.

August 7, 2023: Permitted to Switch to The Bahamas

On August 7, 2023, FIBA permitted Eric Gordon to switch to The Bahamas national team, allowing him to represent them in international competitions.

June 27, 2024: Opts Out of Contract with Suns

On June 27, 2024, Eric Gordon opted out of his player option in his $3.4 million contract with the Phoenix Suns for the 2024–25 season, becoming a free agent.

July 10, 2024: Signs with Philadelphia 76ers

On July 10, 2024, Eric Gordon signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, joining another team in his NBA journey.

2024: Plays at the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament

In 2024, Eric Gordon played at the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament, leading the team in points scored with 27 total to help the Bahamas win the event and gain entry for the 2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.