This was one of Aaron Gordon’s nine dunks in the McDonald’s game. Photo by Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
If the Arizona Wildcats liked the 2013 NBA Draft, with two players chosen in the top 40, then they might love 2014.
The hype has begun: Incoming freshman forward Aaron Gordon is listed as the third pick in 2014 draft in early mock drafts by CBSSports.com and DraftExpress.com.
Writes Gary Parish of CBSSports.com: “There’s no guarantee that Gordon will develop into Blake Griffin, but watch him play and it’s easy to see why some think he could. He’s a super athlete who competes with a certain level of tenacity.”
Gordon is listed behind Kansas-bound freshman Andrew Wiggins and Kentucky-bound Julius Randle in what is expected be a loaded 2014 draft.
And who knows if Arizona sophomores Kaleb Tarczewski and Brandon Ashley, or junior Nick Johnson, will be ready to jump into the draft?
In the meantime, Gordon is playing on the U.S. national team in the U19 World Championship in Prague, Czech Republic. Team USA won its opening game Thursday in an 88-29 laugher over Ivory Coast.
Gordon came off the bench to score 12 points in 20 minutes. He had five rebounds, a team-high four assists, two steals and made 6 of 8 shots.
“This was a good start,” Gordon said after the game. “We’ve got two more games in pool play and I think the competition will be a lot better so we can’t take anything for granted and we’ve got to come back with the same altitude we played with today.”
USA plays China today.
Prague is so solid pic.twitter.com/sUPtSAtYWk
— Aaron Gordon (@_AG_32) June 26, 2013