How to Guard Aaron Gordon
Aaron does most of his damage from three-point (40% of his attempts) and is a genuine outside threat. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Aaron scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Aaron
Wall off the paint early
Aaron takes 31.8% of his shots at the rim and finishes 75.7% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup.
Chase over screens
Aaron is a real volume threat from deep (37.4% on 171 attempts, 40% of his shots). Go over ball screens, top-lock him off the ball, and never help off him on the perimeter.
Where the ball goes when you help off Aaron
His most frequent assist targets this season. When he collapses the defense, these are the outlets to rotate to first.
Quiet edges on Aaron
- Scores 3.1 PPG more on the road — actually scores more on the road
- Clutch FG% is +12.8% vs season average — rises to the moment
- Barely affected by tight contests — 47.5% contested vs 47.0% open. Contest quality matters more than contest frequency.
Get Aaron's full matchup plan
HoopBrief turns this shot profile into a complete plan: the exact coverage to run, positioning, what to take away first, and the mistake to avoid, in your own coaching lens. Ask it directly.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Aaron Gordon?
Wall off the paint early: Aaron takes 31.8% of his shots at the rim and finishes 75.7% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup. Chase over screens: Aaron is a real volume threat from deep (37.4% on 171 attempts, 40% of his shots). Go over ball screens, top-lock him off the ball, and never help off him on the perimeter.
What is Aaron Gordon's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Aaron is least efficient on his in the paint (floaters) attempts (31.3% on 67 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Aaron Gordon a good three-point shooter?
Aaron has taken 171 three-pointers this season and made 64 of them (37.4%). That share of his offense (40% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Aaron Gordon average?
Aaron is averaging 16.2 points per game this season, along with 2.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Aaron Gordon's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.