Jayson Tatum may not be the only NBA champion forward who has it out for Steve Kerr.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon had a notable moment at a Media Day interview this week when he revealed that was expecting a call from Team USA to play at this summer’s Paris Olympics … only for the call to never come.
Aaron Gordon says he was expecting a call from Team USA:
“I was asked about playing for Team USA then the call never came. Then watching Jokic almost wash those cats… that was dope. But all that being said, Merica."
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24) pic.twitter.com/ud45IsOAiD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 26, 2024
Gordon elaborated on the situation further in posts to his X account on Thursday. He said that the Warriors head coach Kerr, who also coached Team USA at the Olympics this summer, had asked him after a game last season if he wanted to play for the national team. There was never a follow-up though, and Gordon indicated that he now had extra motivation to work hard and make the team in 2028.
After we beat the warriors in the bay Steve Kerr asked if I wanted to play on the USA team… idk bro. It’s a bit rhetorical but hey we got gold
— Aaron Gordon (@Double0AG) September 26, 2024
If you think I’m not working every damn day to play in 2028 and represent…I got goals! Don’t care if you wanna see me fail
— Aaron Gordon (@Double0AG) September 26, 2024
The 29-year-old Gordon is a defensive and athleticism-based role player, so he may not have had much of a shot of making Team USA when they already had the likes of Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, and Kevin Durant instead. But then again, Gordon’s skillset might have made for a good foil to all of the ball-dominant players already on the national team.
In any case, Gordon felt like he was led on by Kerr and then ultimately left hanging. He will now look ahead to trying to make Team USA for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles (during which it will be a different coach than Kerr leading the team).
