Although Aaron Gordon lost to Lavine in the dunk contest, his career achievements are different now

On May 8, among the glittering stars of the NBA, the dunk contest is always one of the most shining moments. In that extraordinary showdown in 2016, the peak match between Zach Laven and Aaron Gordon is still talked about by fans. Lavin finally won the championship with his extraordinary physical fitness and creative actions, while Gordon was still honored even though he lost, and his performance was also recorded in history. However, when we turn our attention to today in 2025, Aaron Gordon, who holds the championship ring, has achieved much more career success than his opponent Lavender back then, which makes people sigh at the cruelty and charm of competitive sports.

Godden and LaVine's story began on the 2016 Toronto All-Star Weekend. At that time, the two young men redefined the event with a series of shocking dunks. Gordon's "Sitting Buckle" mascot and a one-armed windmill, each movement is full of strength and beauty; LaVin uses the free throw line to jump and dunk and switch hands to the crotch to show unparalleled elegance and agility. That duel was hailed as the "best dunk contest in history" and LaVine won by a slight advantage. But who would have thought that this peak showdown would become a watershed in their careers?

Joining the Denver Nuggets became a turning point in Gordon's career. Before the mid-term trading deadline of the 2020-21 season, the Magic sent Gordon to the Nuggets, which completely changed his fate. In the Denver Plateau, Gordon found the role that suits him best - the all-around forward defense gate. He no longer focuses on personal data, but devotes himself to the defensive end and becomes Jokic's most reliable partner. Gordon's defense range covers from No. 1 to No. 5, and his athleticism and defensive awareness perfectly meet the requirements of modern basketball for forward players. In the 2023 playoffs, Gordon shone on the defensive end, limiting superstars such as Durant, James and Butler, making great contributions to the Nuggets' championship.

In contrast, Lavin's career seemed much more bumpy. Although he became an All-Star player with the Chicago Bulls, LaVine never broke through the first round of the playoffs. Frequent injuries and instability of the team's lineup have limited LaVine's development. What is even more sad is that Laven suffered a serious knee injury in the 2024-25 season, resulting in season reimbursement, which also completely put the Bulls into reconstruction mode. When Gordon enjoys championship glory in Denver, LaVine faces a major career choice.

Gordon's success is by no means accidental, but comes from his precise grasp of his own positioning. During the Magic period, he tried to be the core of the team, but the results were not ideal. After switching to the Nuggets, Gordon took the initiative to adjust his role and focused on defense and empty cuts. This transformation demonstrated his extremely high basketball IQ and team awareness. Around Jokic, Gordon's offensive efficiency has been greatly improved, and his real shooting rate has remained above 60% all year round. More importantly, Gordon's value on the defensive end cannot be fully reflected by data. He is the core of the Nuggets' defensive system, locking the opponent's number one scorer at critical moments many times.

LaVin's technical characteristics determine that he is more suitable for the offensive arrow. Excellent shooting ability and breakthrough threats make him one of the league’s top scorers, but the limitations on the defensive end make it difficult for him to go further in the playoffs. The modern NBA has increasingly comprehensive requirements for players, and it is difficult for players who rely solely on offense to lead the team to breakthroughs. This is also why players like Gordon, who are both offensive and defensive, are more popular among championship teams.

From the perspective of personal honors, Gordon may never be able to catch up with LaVine's All-Star count and scoring data. But a championship ring is worth far beyond these personal honors. In NBA history, not only are the stars with gorgeous statistics, but also the role players who do their best to win the championship. Gordon proves with his actions that finding the right position is more important than blindly pursuing personal data. The development trajectory of the two players also reflects the wisdom of NBA team building. The Nuggets have built a team of their own responsibilities around Jokic, and Gordon is the most perfect puzzle; while the Bulls have never found a suitable partner for LaVine, causing the team to stagnate for a long time. This reminds us that success in the NBA requires not only personal abilities, but also a suitable team environment.

Looking to the future, 31-year-old Gordon is still in his prime and he is expected to continue chasing more championships in the Nuggets; while 30-year-old Lavine needs to recover from injuries and prove his worth again. Perhaps at some point, the two will meet on the field, and then the outcome is no longer important because they have written their own legend.

Looking back at that star-studded night in 2016, who would have thought that the runner-up in the dunk contest would be far better than the championship in career achievements? This is the charm of the NBA - it is always full of variables and is always worth looking forward to. The story of Gordon and Lavine tells us that there are countless ways to define career success, and the championship is always the one that shines most.