British-born American former professional basketball player Benjamin Ashenafi Gordon has had a rough couple of years since he retired in 2017.
Before his retirement, he played as a shooting guard for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association, and before that, he played college basketball for the University of Connecticut. In the latter, he won a national championship in 2004.
In his 11-season career, Gordon played for the Chicago Bulls from 2004-09, Detroit Pistons from 2009-12, Charlotte Bobcats from 2012-14, and Orlando Magic from 2014-15. The NBA player is the only one in history to have won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in his first year. He is also the second in career three-point field goals behind Kirk Hinrich for the Chicago Bulls.
In his storied career, he has won other achievements such as the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2005, the NCAA Champion in 2004, and the Big East Tournament MVP in 2004.
NBA Ben Gordon Suicide Attempt Story: Fans Saddened To Hear
In recent years, Ben Gordon has opened up about his suicidal thoughts and his struggle with bipolar disorder.
After his NBA career ended, Gordon faced an identity crisis and thought about killing himself daily. Suicidal ideation and suicidal thoughts became a common occurrence for the ex-NBA player.
The closest he came, he said, was when he took one of those heavyweight jump roses and tied it around his neck, and tried to hang himself. Thankfully, in this process, he realized he wanted to live and began seeing a therapist.
However, his struggle wasn’t just a one-off incident but a reoccurring one, and some of them got him in trouble with the law. In June 2017, Gordon was arrested for pulling the fire alarms at his Los Angeles apartment building. Later that year, he was hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation after being caught in an altercation at a holistic wellness center in Mount Vernon, New York.
However, Gordon has taken his arrest positively and has credited it as saving him. Since he was arrested four times in five months, the judge gave him court-mandated therapy for 18 months, which has been immensely helpful, he says.
Where Is Ben Gordon Now?
Ben Gordon last appeared in the public eye when he wrote an article about his bipolar disorder and struggle with mental health in February 2020.
Since then, the former NBA player effectively disappeared from the public eye for what seems to be the foreseeable future. As someone who faced an identity crisis due to falling out of the spotlight, trying to find obscurity on their terms might be something that could be helpful for Gordon.
Reading the article, Gordon wrote in 2020 can be a harrowing experience that genuinely showcases just what he was going through. All the confusion, anger, paranoia, and hurt he was facing was swallowing up, but thankfully, Gordon got out, was pulled out by court-mandated therapy, and got a chance.
Not many people get such a chance when they’re on a self-destructive path, and Gordon counts himself as one of the lucky ones. Wherever he has disappeared to or perhaps saying he has disappeared isn’t right. Wherever Gordon is living his life now, he hasn’t been caught in trouble for over two years. That’s a good sign.
Does Ben Gordon Have A Wife? A Look At His Family
Ben Gordon does not have a wife, nor is he dating anyone currently.
Gordon was born to Yvonne Gordon and an unknown father in London, England. The family immigrated to the US when he was an infant, and young Gordon grew up in Mount Vernon, New York.
He studied at Mount Vernon High School and played basketball there. He led his club to the New York State Public and Federation Championship in 2000.
After high school, the boy went to the University of Connecticut, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Ben Gordon is an excellent example of how mental illness can affect anyone. So, it’s essential to take good care of oneself and always reach out to others, especially professionals, when needed.