At 5280, we have a passion for telling stories that matter to our readers, whether that’s an in-depth look at the city’s best restaurants or an exhaustive study of the state’s dysfunctional funeral industry. If we’re being honest, though, what really gets us in a twist is athletes in their underwear.
So, when Denver Nuggets star forward Aaron Gordon reached out to ask if we’d be interested in learning more about his new collaboration with Saxx—a skivvy brand known for its innovative approach to, um, ball handling—we felt compelled to follow the story wherever it led.
Two side by side photos of Aaron Gordon posing in his SAXX underwear with a basketball
Photo courtesy of Saxx
The following conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
5280: Any interesting revelations you’d like to share about your underwear? Aaron Gordon: I’m just trying to not have diarrhea of the mouth and say something too out of pocket. So hopefully this interview doesn’t come back with me being, like, Wow, I can’t believe I actually said that.
Well, let’s start by just acknowledging how strange it is for one man to ask another man about his underwear.
We gotta destigmatize that conversation.
Is that true? I mean, have you talked with other guys before about underwear?
We were talking the other day about it. Underwear is one of those things that you need to fit correctly. If they’re too baggy, they’re gonna get all bunched up and you can have wedgies. If they’re too tight, you’re gonna be frustrated and hostile for no reason.
Can you talk a little bit about your own underwear journey? Were you ever a boxers guy?
Yeah, I was definitely a boxers guy, but they just got too bunched up. Especially because when I was younger I would sag my pants. Every time you pull your pants up, the boxers get bunched up. Super uncomfortable. By the end of the day, it’s just, like—no, no. I used to have silky underwear.
Silky? Is that a brand name?
No, it’s just silky boxers, but those get bunched up too. I think Saxx has that happy medium of not too silky, but not too cottony.
Did you have any reservations about modeling in your skivvies? I mean, obviously you look better in your underwear than I probably would. But any concern about being all out there?
I think that’s subjective. [Editor’s note: It’s not.] But I’m pretty confident in what I have.
Do you wear Saxx while you play?
Yeah, I have before.
The Nuggets are on a nine-game winning streak right now. [Editor’s note: This interview took place in February.] How much of that success do you owe to Saxx?
I think Saxx is going to help continue the win streak.
Last thing, and it has a little bit to do with underwear, but more about manhood: This interview got me thinking about how our underwear preferences change as we age. But how has your idea of what a man should be changed over the years? Like, when you were a kid, what did you think a man should be? And now that you’re an adult, what do you think a man should be?
That’s a great question. When I was younger, I had some really good men in my life. My grandpa was a Marine, so he was tough, he was disciplined, he made sure that you never had self-pity. You can endure challenges and difficulties in your life that maybe you don’t think that you can get over. My dad was, is, a great man as well, and he was just so caring and nurturing. So warm and heartfelt and real—just this huge, muscular man who could be terrifying at times, but also the biggest teddy bear in the world, you know?
Now, as I get older, I see that being a man is more about doing things that need to be done, regardless of how you feel. It’s about taking care of the people that you know and taking care of the people that you don’t know. It’s about being a rock. It’s about being solid. It’s about being a voice of reason. Yeah, it’s about being somebody that can be leaned on.
Spencer Campbell