Aaron Judge Told Funny Story About Being Mistaken for Aaron Gordon

It's not hard to see how someone confused the Yankees slugger with Gordon.
Jul 7, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out during the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out during the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Judge is one of the most famous baseball players on the planet, but apparently the New York Yankees slugger is not as recognizable as he thought.

On Wednesday, Judge made an appearance on Corey Kluber's podcast Casa De Klub and recounted a great story. The six-time All-Star claimed he was grocery shopping in Tampa Bay during spring training when he noticed someone eying him up. He assumed it was a Yankees fan who recognized him. He was wrong.

The fan approached Judge and was puzzled at how he was at the grocery, because he had just seen him playing basketball in Orlando. Judge quickly realized the guy thought he was then-Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon.

It's pretty easy to see how someone would confuse those two. Gordon is listed at 6'8" while Judge is 6'7" and they do bear some resemblance. Judge is 32, Gordon is 28 and, well, they're both named Aaron. It's not hard to see how someone got there.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
May 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

One major difference between the two? Gordon has a championship after winning one with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. Judge is still chasing his first with the Yankees this season.


Published |Modified
Ryan Phillips

RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.