How the Loss of His Brother Taught Aaron Gordon the True Meaning of Life

When he paints, he finds peace. A sense of normalcy. Unlike the outside world, things make more sense here. Alone in his room with his canvas, he doesn't have to be perfect. He doesn't have to perform. There's no one to impress.

"It's just me, the canvas, and my thoughts," Gordon, the Denver Nuggets' forward, tells The Athletic.

This practice brings him comfort.

He only had one art class in high school and didn't possess extensive knowledge of oil painting. But he loved the challenge of something new. He began to ponder the deeper intention behind his creations; why he became so meticulous with each stroke. Why he tried to find beauty in every painting, no matter how much it deviated from his initial idea.

He realized that painting wasn't so much about the product as it was about the experience. What his soul needed. Which led him to "Caged Bird."

"It came at a time when I felt spiritually stuck," Gordon says.

It's been almost two years since Aaron's brother, Drew Gordon, died in a car accident at 33. He was a noble soul, an older brother Aaron trusted. Confided in. Looked up to. Drew was his inspiration, the one who showed him how to live a fulfilling life. The two were best friends. Drew was also a basketball player, briefly playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, having several stints in the G League, and enjoying a successful professional career overseas playing for many top teams.

Drew beamed watching Aaron and the Nuggets win the championship ring in 2023. Aaron wouldn't have gotten there without his older brother's wisdom. After his death, Aaron changed his jersey number from 50 to 32, the number Drew wore at the University of New Mexico, to honor him.

The loss is a grief Aaron is still navigating. He's still processing it. It has given him a greater appreciation for the present.

He finds purpose, meaning, and even joy in various activities, including reading, playing the piano, meditating, making music, interior design, painting, and working out in the home gym he built himself. And he's proud of his role as a leader for the Denver Nuggets, who are now facing the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, determined to chase the title despite numerous players battling minor injuries and absences, including superstar Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets won the first game 116-105, with Jamal Murray scoring 30 points. The Timberwolves retaliated in Game 2, as Anthony Edwards took control with 30 points and 10 rebounds in Minnesota's 119-114 victory.

Aaron Gordon missed parts of the season due to a right hamstring injury but has found his niche as the heart of this team.

With so many things in his private life beyond his control, he focused on what was within his power: nurturing relationships with teammates and a deeper appreciation for family and his own life. This, in turn, helped him process an unspeakable loss.

As with his paintings, he's learned to find beauty wherever he can. The little things others take for granted. Locker room jokes, the wisdom he can impart to younger Nuggets players. Passages in the dozens of books that adorn his study (he plans to attend law school). Jean-Michel Basquiat prints on skateboards hanging on his room's walls.

The many ways he expresses himself, beyond basketball, have taught him balance.

"It puts things in perspective," Gordon says.

Before every game, Gordon usually has a message for his teammates: "Shed everything – all the baggage, all the emotional weight, shed that before we go out there, and let's just have fun and play, respect the game, and play the way it's supposed to be played," says guard Peyton Watson.