Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.
By John DentonSept. 23, 2014
ORLANDO -- Ben Gordon is about to start his 11th NBA season and it would be understandable if the veteran shooting guard was already dreading the rigors and monotony of two-a-day practices and training camp.
However, Gordon – one of the newest members of the Orlando Magic – can’t wait for camp to begin so that he can prove to the basketball world that he still has plenty of life left in his game.
``As a professional athlete (proving yourself) is why you compete, sacrifice your body, put the hours in and put so much into the game,’’ said Gordon, who took part in the Magic’s ``Hoops for Hunger’’ community event at Hungerford Elementary School on Tuesday. ``I look at this opportunity with the Magic as a chance to reestablish myself. I definitely want to help our younger group of guys with how to win and things of that nature. I’m definitely looking forward to the season.’’
Gordon averaged more than 20 points a game as recently as 2009, but his career has been in decline in recent years, culminating with his premature release from the Charlotte Bobcats last spring. The 31-year-old Gordon signed a two-year contract with the Magic that has just one season guaranteed and he knows that this will either be his opportunity to show that he can still play at a high level or he could possibly be out of the league.
Gordon has attacked the opportunity with the Magic by spending much of the offseason in Orlando. In between trips to Disney World with his 3-year-old son, Gordon has been a regular at the Magic’s practice facility. He said that he’s worked hard on his strength and conditioning in hopes that his once deadly 3-point shooting stroke and his ability to score against bigger players will return.
``I’ve been down here for a few months and all I have seen from the guys is a lot of hard work and dedication,’’ said Gordon, who has played for Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte in his NBA career. ``It’s great to be around guys who come in every day, put their hard hats on and they get to work. I look forward to trying to be that veteran guy who can help them along the way and have a big impact on this team.’’
Gordon won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2005 and he had his finest season as a pro in 2006 when he averaged 21.3 points per game while shooting a dazzling 41.3 percent from 3-point range. He pumped in another 20.7 points a game in 2008-09 while again shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line. That season earned him a big free-agent contract with Detroit, but his production with the Pistons never matched what he did in Chicago.
Gordon was traded to Charlotte in June of 2012, but he was displeased with his role with the Bobcats while playing for two different head coaches in two seasons. Gordon shot just 38.7 percent from 3-point range in 2012-13 and only 27.6 percent in 19 games last season.
Gordon is convinced that being in a system where his offensive production, 3-point shooting and veteran savvy will be heavily counted on will benefit his game going forward. Gordon is eager to prove that he can still be an elite scorer if used properly and included in the offense.
``(His jump shot) never really went anywhere; it’s just a matter of being consistent, making sure my touch is always right and staying in rhythm,’’ he said. ``I’ve just been working with the coaches, working with my teammates and getting a lot of shots up. Hopefully it will carry over to the season.’’
Gordon said he shakes his head on a daily basis when he realizes that he is one of the ``old guys’’ on a Magic roster that includes Aaron Gordon (19 years old), Elfrd Payton (20 years old), Maurice Harkless (21), Evan Fournier (21), Devyn Marble (21), Victor Oladipo (22), Tobias Harris (22), Nikola Vucevic (23), Kyle O’Quinn (24) and Andrew Nicholson (24). Gordon likes the mix of youth and veterans along with himself, Channing Frye, Luke Ridnour and Willie Green and he thinks that the Magic can make some significant strides this season.
``I think this team really needed that (veteran experience),’’ Gordon said of a Magic squad that lost Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson in the offseason. ``They have guys that are young, work hard and are hungry for the game. The only thing they were missing was the veteran presence. I think the (veteran) guys will be able to help with that from Day One. I think that’s something that will be beneficial to the younger guys and it will be fun.
``I think guys often derive confidence from how hard they work and this offseason everybody on our team has been working really hard,’’ Gordon added. ``Our guys know they are young, but they are hungry at the same time. I think now we have a good mix to support the young talent. We’re all really looking forward to the season.’’