It was nearly 10 years ago when
Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic first stepped on a basketball court together.
The two will attempt to help the Denver Nuggets win the first NBA championship in franchise history Modnay against the Miami Heat, but in 2013 they were competing against each other.
The stage was the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship tournament. Jokic was 18 and playing Serbia, while Gordon was a 17-year-old playing for USA Basketball.
Gordon had just finished his senior season at
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) where he won two state championships and was the MVP of the 2013 McDonald's All American Game. He joined a loaded Team USA squad in Prague where he was one of five future top 10 NBA draft picks including Elfrid Payton, Marcus Smart, Justise Winslow and Jahlil Okafor.
Jokic was coming off his first season with professional club Mega Basket as a 17-year-old in the Serbian League. He was on a Serbian squad featuring future 2014 second-round pick Vasilije Micic and 2015 first round pick Nikola Milutinov.
Jokic and Gordon both came off the bench in their first meeting on July 3, 2013, but both showed flashes of their future strengths.
Jokic had 10 points, and led his team in rebounds and assists while Gordon had 11 points, two steals, three blocks and led his team in rebounds during a 71-62 USA victory.
Four days later, the two teams met again in the gold medal game. Jokic put up 10 points and three rebounds but it wasn't enough as Team USA won 82-68. Gordon was named MVP of the tournament after averaging 12.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest.
The following year Gordon was selected fourth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft and Jokic was taken 41st overall by the Nuggets.
Aside from Gordon and Jokic, both families also have connections to this current Nuggets squad. Nemanja Jokic, Nikola's older brother, played against Denver Nuggets center DeAndre Jordan in 2007 in college.
In 1981, Gordon's father Eddy played against Nuggets color commentator Scott Hastings in college. Eddy Gordon was at San Diego State and Hastings at Arkansas.
Aaron Gordon of Archbishop Mitty hangs on to the ball against Stanley Johnson and Mater Dei during the CIF State Championship. A few months later Gordon took on future Denver Nuggets teammate Nikola Jokic at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. (Photo: Dennis Lee)
