Aaron Gordon or Jalen Smith? The NBA Stat Breakdown

This is as close as it gets. Aaron Gordon and Jalen Smith split the statistical categories evenly — 4 apiece — making this one of the most genuinely contested F comparisons in NBA history. When the numbers are this balanced, the debate comes down to which statistics matter most to you.

Aaron Gordon's Assists Per Game of 2.7 compared to Jalen Smith's 0.9 represents a 200% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Jalen Smith falls 67.9% below the career average of 2.8 in this category while Aaron Gordon exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Aaron Gordon's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Three Point %, where Aaron Gordon posts 33.5% against Jalen Smith's 34.2% — a gap of just 2.1%. Jalen Smith can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-4 tally suggests. In any debate, Three Point % is the statistical ammunition for the Jalen Smith side.

The forward position in professional basketball demands versatility — the ability to score, rebound and defend at an elite level. The most decorated forwards in NBA history have excelled across multiple statistical categories.

With categories split evenly, this comparison ultimately comes down to which statistics matter most to you. Aaron Gordon claims the tiebreaker through Assists Per Game advantage — a 200% edge — but reasonable people can, and do, argue both sides of this NBA debate.