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Remembering the time Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon jumped out of his shoes

BySpencer R. Henderson|
PHILADELPHIA,PA - NOVEMBER 1: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the reverse dunk against Philadelphia 76ers during a game at the Wells Fargo Center on November 1, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA,PA - NOVEMBER 1: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the reverse dunk against Philadelphia 76ers during a game at the Wells Fargo Center on November 1, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Aaron Gordon escaped without an injury, but he knows all too well what can happen when a shoe malfunctions because of crazy athleticism. This moment made Gordon who he is today.

The talk of the basketball world has nothing to do with the NBA this week. That is probably what happens when the league takes the week off for the All-Star break.

Instead, one of its future stars has filled the vacuum and touched off a load of questions about athleticism, equipment, college athletics, money and all the rest. Duke Blue Devils forward, and likely No. 1 overall pick, Zion Williamson has had that kind of power.

In Wednesday’s game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Williamson barely played thanks to an odd injury that touched off all these debates about amateurism, the draft and Nike.

Williamson, trying to fight over a screen on defense slid and lost his footing. His foot would find its way exploding through the bottom of his shoe as he awkwardly fell in a split.

Williamson was officially diagnosed with a grade 1 right knee sprain and is listed as day to day. Whether he will risk his well-being to play for the top-ranked Blue Devils again this season is a point for major debate across the punditry.

The incident even got Paul George on the phone with Nike to determine what happened while Zion Williamson was wearing his signature shoe.

Through all this, it might be easy to forget it has happened before.

It happened to Aaron Gordon too exactly three years ago today — Feb. 23, 2016. Do you remember?

It was right after the Orlando Magic traded Tobias Harris to the Detroit Pistons for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova.

The good thing was Aaron Gordon, who had been battling injuries earlier in his career, did not suffer the unfortunate knee sprain Zion Williamson did. It was still an odd and scary situation.

In this game against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, Aaron Gordon sprinted down the floor and caught the eye of Elfrid Payton as he caught the backside lob on Jahlil Okafor.

Elfrid Payton’s pass was right on the money as Gordon runs on the right side of the charity stripe and catches the ball with his left hand. He then threw it down as Jahlil Okafor lost Aaron Gordon when Nerlens Noel switched to Nikola Vucevic in the paint.

It was one of several dunks Gordon had in that win. And it also cost him a pair of shoes.

Gordon’s Nike HyperRev 2016 on his right foot came apart from the seams on the toe. It was an odd situation.

Gordon had to switch the shoes out for another pair.

In that game in 2016, Gordon scored 11 points and snatched a team-high 11 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes. He was fourth in scoring in the game with Nikola Vucevic leading the way with 35. Victor Oladipo had 22 and Evan Fournier scored 21 in a 124-115 road win.

Orlando still was a team fighting to be above .500 and that night they defeated a 76ers team who was considered the worst team in the NBA that year.

Gordon was a different player then. He was a player hungry for an opportunity soon after Tobias Harris was sent off to the Pistons. This was his time to shine, and he knew the organization was betting on his development into an All-Star caliber player.

Three years have passed. Although Gordon has not morphed into that All-Star caliber player the organization hoped for, he has turned into an above average role player on a team fighting to make the playoffs.

Right now he is in his fifth NBA season averaging 15.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 33.5 minutes per game. With Gordon still just 23 years old, who knows where his ceiling still lies.

Gordon is one of those players who does more than what is seen on the stat sheet. In today’s NBA, a player is normally judged by how well he can shoot, a limitation Gordon has faced his entire career. Now he is shooting better this year at 34 percent from three.

There is still room for improvement. But back in 2016, Gordon shot a meager 29 percent from three and was known more as a rebounding slasher type of player trying to fit into a roster full of talent.

Things have changed a lot for Gordon in those three years. But he still can jump out of the gym. Just hopefully not out of his shoes.