Meet Your Heroes — If Your Hero Is Underwear Model Aaron Gordon

…the Sonics are back up. The NBA expects to add Seattle and Las Vegas as its expansion teams as soon as the ‘28-’29 season. Next up, Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. Wait, they’re what???

Tobias Harris is a man of taste. If you don’t follow him on Instagram, rectify that. Sports marketing maestro Chad Howell explains what makes Tobias’ feed so immaculate. My guess is he’s about one Wong Kar Wai-themed post away from becoming a creative director. 

This week, sports got political. I mean, kinda. Obama went head-to-head with Anthony Edwards (on the court and elsewhere), and the trash talk was serious. And Knicks rookie Mo Diawara and Zohran Mamdani broke Ramadan fast at a Senegalese restaurant in Harlem. Dueling buddy comedies when?

Did someone say Senegal? The CAF Appeal Board did, but only to say that the country forfeited the AFCON final, which means the board has awarded the ‘ship to Morocco. Is this even allowed?? Feels like wheels are falling off everywhere. Congrats to Morocco though!

Chiney Ogwumike is getting her own digital hoops show on ESPN. It’s called “Chiney Today,” but I think it should be called “Frigging Finally”!! Or “We’ve Been Waiting”!! 

“Go Off” is a special edition of our daily newsletter, featuring my thoughts, takes, and general vibes, presented to OffBall readers every Wednesday.

They say don’t meet your heroes, but if your hero is Aaron Gordon, that advice is ill-advised. How do I know? Well, I met him. And he was awesome. I would argue he’s the most interesting guy in the NBA, even. He’s reading books you’ve never heard of, and listening to music you’ll like in a couple of years. And he’s doing it all in his underwear–nay, his SAXX. My “Go Off” this week is less preachy (you’re welcome) than usual because Aaron speaks for himself. 

I talked to him about his becoming an underwear model for SAXX, what he’s consuming, and his predictions for Song of the Summer.  

Ashtyn Butuso: Tell me how the SAXX partnership came about. 

Aaron Gordon: Yeah. It was a full-circle moment. I had already been wearing SAXX before we even partnered, so it's really authentic, really genuine. It came through my people, they were like, ‘Hey, we got something for you…it's underwear modeling.’ I was like ‘…Okay…I'm in!’ And it worked out. 'cause SAXX goes perfect with my lifestyle. It's super comfortable.

AB: You definitely have modeled stuff, but like you had to be an underwear model for this. Did you look for inspo from any other models or shoots? 

AG: Yeah, I actually did. I went and looked at, like, Calvin Klein, what they were doing, and then I was like, “Alright, you know what, let's just wing it.” 

AB: Were you like, “Okay, Jeremy, Allen White's Calvin shoot was like this, I gotta bring it to that level”?

AG: I think that was it! I think it was Bear [Jeremy Allen White’s shoot]. 

AB: You are so grounded, and you seem so stable in such an unstable industry. You seem very mild-mannered when the situation calls for it, but you also get hyped. We saw you in the streets of Denver, celebrating [after the NBA Finals], what do you attribute that temperament to? 

AG: My family keeps it cool. They're just really great characters. My mom, my dad, my brother, and my sister… they’re just like tremendous people. And very sharp and clever. And funny and the right level of serious and levity and comical. It gotta be my family coming through and shining through. 

AB: You seem like a lifelong learner. What's the best thing you've learned so far this year?

AG: I think that art critics are miserable people.

AB: [Laughs] I do tend to agree. Let people enjoy things! 

AG: Exactly. You're probably critiquing because you can't do it. And it also puts a wall up between somebody that isn't in the industry, and it, like, taints it for them. Just let people enjoy art for what it is.

AB: Whether it's art or a book or something else, what are you consuming right now? 

AG: I'm consuming Psycho-Cybernetics… 

AB: Totally…

AG: Which is like sports psychology, I suppose. And then Carl Jung’s Red Book, which is philosophy. James Baldwin. What else? Music-wise, Leon Thomas.

AB: Summer is almost here…I’m always in search of the perfect Song of the Summer around this time. What’s your pick? 

AG: It's close, right? 

AB: Yeah. I'm not ready for it, so you don't have to be, if you're not.

AG: I'm not ready yet. But I like Odeal. Last summer, he had “London Summers.” I think he'll come around with something.

AB: Vibey. Great pick. And by the way, I think I’m literally one of the top 1% listeners of “9 OUT OF 10.” So that'll be my song in the summer. Anyway, was being an underwear model on your bucket list? Did you think you’d do that?

AG: [Laughs] As a kid, it was not on my list. I think as I got to be a professional, being a model was interesting. I wanted to do the [ESPN] Body Issue. And then they discontinued that.

AB: You never got to do it? 

AG: At this point, I'm good.

AB: SAXX is your own body issue. 

AG: Correct. And we just got the RealTree collection, and it's really cool. It's different camos and real manly [laughs]. It's just like playing off of, like, going commando.

AB: Who is on your NBA Mount Rushmore of Style, if you have to choose?

AG: Oh, wow. Julius Erving, Dr. J.  Michael Jordan. Allen Iverson. Who else? 

AB: You only have one more spot. Put yourself on it?

AG: Yeah, of course. I love myself! 

The GIST’s free-to-enter College Basketball Bracket Challenge is back with brackets for both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Whether you’re a hoops expert or just picking based on vibes, the top three finishers in each will win $400, $300, and $200 Ticketmaster gift cards.

Just submit your picks before the first round tips off on March 19 (tomorrow) for the men’s bracket and March 20 for the women’s.

👉 Fill out your bracket! 

Women’s here.  

Men’s here.  

Thanks to prediction markets, you can bet on anything these days. Sports betting isn’t just about results, anymore. Bets can look like anything! I don’t participate in betting, because I grew up kinda poor, and that concept is crazy to me, but if I were a betting man (gender neutral), here are some M*rch M*dness things Kalshi/Polymarket should let us bet on. 

A child goes viral for crying upon a tough loss. 

A Quirked Up White Boy putting his mid-major team on his back (remember Drew Timme? Or Doug Edert?).

St. John’s men’s team making it really far. I don’t know how far, but I feel like those guys are really good and we need to pay attention. (I know, you can actually just bet on this on regular sites.) 

Speaking of that, let’s bet on Rick Pitino having that sh*t on. Or saying something funny. Or having a few small beers.  

And, speaking of that, I’ll take Kim Mulkey wearing no fewer than 99,999,999 sequins for $1 million dollars. Every time. 

Basically, no upsets. Sorry to be a downer, but that’s how it was last year! 

No fewer than 35 (see what I did there?) different Azzi Fudd commercials. And ads. And TikTok edits.

The men of Arizona to win it all. Half the country is counting on them. 

A Sarah Strong vs. Mikayala Blakes game. I would only bet on this for the power of manifestation. Anything is possible when you believe. 

Ok, that’s enough betting! Go to church or however you make good with your actions.