There was a surprise guest inside Prague’s O2 Arena last summer when Nikola Jokic and Serbia squared off against the Czech Republic in the EuroBasket tournament. Aaron Gordon, in the middle of a personal summer Euro trip, made a pit stop to watch Jokic in action.
Gordon’s unannounced drop-by caught Jokic completely off guard. He had no idea that his frontcourt mate in Denver was going to be in attendance and watch him play basketball halfway across the globe. Gordon wanted to show up for Jokic. He wanted to support him.
It was an example of the teammate and person Gordon is.
And it’s a reason why he’s officially the new Mr. Nugget.
Mr. Nugget was a title originally given to Gary Harris by DNVR in 2020. When Harris was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2021, ironically enough for Gordon, Monte Morris was named the new Mr. Nugget. The title has remained vacant since Morris was dealt to the Washington Wizards last offseason. It’s now Gordon’s.
Harris, Morris, and Gordon all possess and consistently demonstrate central Mr. Nugget traits. They’re great teammates. They prioritize winning above all else. They go out of their way to care about their teammates and show them love whether it’s on social media, in the press, or while in another country. Harris is still the only Nuggets player to ever venture to Sombor.
They operate with a selfless nature. They’re culture setters. They take pride in representing the team. When players were traded to or signed in Denver during Morris’ tenure as Mr. Nugget, he would always be the first Nuggets player to reach out and welcome them to the city and organization.
Mr. Nugget always goes to battle for this franchise and the players in the Nuggets’ locker room. They champion the city of Denver and the state where they play. They always keep the vibes immaculate.
It’s a rightful title for someone like Gordon to hold. Ever since he arrived in Denver, Gordon has been all about the team. He went from a top offensive option in Orlando to just another piece to the Nuggets’ championship puzzle. He bought into his role from Day 1. He’s played selfless basketball and at the end of the day only cares about winning.
Gordon wants to do the dirty work. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to bring a championship to Denver and has refined his game exactly how the Nuggets needed him to. After the Nuggets were eliminated by the Warriors in the first round of last year’s playoffs, Gordon pledged to become a smarter player to better complement the back-to-back MVP. He’s followed through on that promise and done exactly that.
Earlier this season, Jokic called Gordon the “soul” of the Nuggets. He’s the bond that holds this team together. When Gordon’s on the floor, the Nuggets play with a different swagger. He brings a lunch-pail, hard-nosed mentality to the court but also can blow the roof off an arena with a high-flying slam.
“I’m just looking to be the glue guy,” Gordan said this season. “Do a little bit of a lot. Filling in where my team needs me. Getting where I fit in and making the game easy for the rest of my teammates.”
“It’s how I’ve always wanted to play.”
It’s the little things too. Gordon played in the Denver Pro-Am league last offseason. He welcomed the Nuggets into his RiNo basketball warehouse for a practice back in September. He wore a Bones Hyland shirt during warmups this season. In Prague, Gordon gave Jokic the three-finger Serbian salute, a common Serbian gesture.
Gordon’s also an underdog at heart and embodies the Nuggets’ collective underdog spirit. When we traveled to Serbia last summer, we learned that most Serbians are massive Gordon fans. He’s their guy, after Jokic of course. One central reason is that he was slighted in the dunk contest years ago. Serbians, themselves, say they have a history of being slighted as a people. Gordon’s story is something they connected with.
Now, on a team that’s been overlooked and on a roster that’s been slighted and underestimated, Gordon’s right at home.
He loves this city. He loves playing for this team.
He is Mr. Nugget.
