DALLAS — UT-Arlington's DaJuan Gordon had a plan for his basketball career. 

What You Need To Know

  • UT-Arlington's DaJuan Gordon is in his fifth season of college basketball

  • He played his first two years at Kansas State before spending a year at both Missouri and New Mexico State

  • His lone season at New Mexico State was canceled with six weeks remaining after a hazing scandal rocked the program in February 2023. Gordon was never implicated in any wrongdoing. He then got in the transfer portal where he was contacted by a familiar name

  • UT-Arlington coach KT Turner recruited Gordon out of high school when he was an assistant coach at SMU. Their relationship played a big role in Gordon joining the Mavericks program

"I honestly thought I'd do two years of college and then go to the NBA," Gordon said.

Once a highly touted recruit coming out of Curie High School in Chicago, Gordon is now in his fifth season of college basketball. 

He played his first two years at Kansas State before spending a year at both Missouri and New Mexico State. 

“Every step gave me something. I learned a lesson at every step," Gordon said. “The vision never changed. I just continued to put the work in."

His lone season at New Mexico State was canceled with six weeks remaining after a hazing scandal rocked the program in February 2023.

“Everybody was hurt, the coaches, the players. We were all nervous of the things that happened and that could tarnish our names," Gordon said. 

Gordon was never implicated in any wrongdoing. He then got in the transfer portal where he was contacted by a familiar name.

“The relationship piece was already pretty much there," said UT-Arlington coach KT Turner. "It was more about laying out the vision to him." 

Turner recruited Gordon out of high school when he was an assistant coach at SMU. Their relationship played a big role in Gordon joining the Mavericks program.

“A guy that's for me. A guy that really wants me to win, and a guy that understands me, too," Gordon said. 

That comfort level has allowed Gordon to settle into his role at UT-Arlington. 

"His will on the court is phenomenal. He plays so hard. I haven't coached a guy like that in a long time,” Turner said. "He’s really turned into a big-time leader for us."

He's a veteran player now carrying a clearer perspective on his basketball journey. 

“I’ve just been putting in the work and waiting on the results to show," Gordon said. "And the results are finally showing. I feel like everything is coming together.”