Getty Chicago Bulls guards Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich celebrate a game-winning shot during a 2005 bout with the New York Knicks.
Ex-Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon continues to have legal trouble in his post-retirement life. The 39-year-old, who lit up the United Center with his scoring and outside shooting as a young player, was arrested early Friday morning, November 4, in the Windy City, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Per the Tribune’s report, officers responded to a disturbance call at the McDonald’s on the 600 block of North Clark at around 3:30 a.m. It was there that police say Gordon punched one security guard in the face, then threw him and a second guard to the ground when the duo attempted to escort him out of the restaurant.
Both men declined medical help, according to the report.
Gordon was later charged with two misdemeanor counts of battery causing bodily harm and battery making physical contact, the outlet reported.
Gordon Was Also Arrested Last Month
Former Chicago Bulls star Ben Gordon was arrested yesterday for allegedly battering two security guards at the former Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonalds.
This was just the latest in a string of arrests over the years for Gordon, who was also taken into police custody in New York City last month.
That arrest was the result of an incident at LaGuardia Airport, where witnesses claimed that Gordon punched his 10-year-old son “several times in the face after the boy dropped a book on the ground” as the pair were boarding a flight to Chicago, as reported by ESPN.
Police sources later said that two officers were also injured while attempting to make the arrest. Gordon was later charged with offenses including assault, resisting arrest, contempt and child endangerment, per ESPN.
Gordon has struggled with mental health issues throughout his life, but they were exacerbated when his playing career reached its end. In a 2020 article for The Players’ Tribune, he opened up about suffering from delusions, panic attacks, insomnia and even having suicidal thoughts when he could no longer lean into basketball.
It was his hope that, by sharing his story, he might be able to help others.
“If you’re f****** with this story, don’t do what I did. Get some help,” Gordon wrote. “Because you’re not crazy, dog. You’re not damaged. You’re just human like the rest of us.”
Gordon Was Once a Bulls Hero
The former NCAA champion with the UConn Huskies joined the Bulls in 2004 when the team selected him with the third overall pick in that year’s NBA draft. He went on to have one of the best rookie campaigns in team history; one that still stacks up against some of the best the league has seen.
Gordon is one of just six players in the Association’s annals to have shot 40% or better from deep on 300-plus attempts as a first-year pro. And of those six, only Stephen Curry posted a higher scoring average than Gordon’s 15.1 points per game.
He went on to play four more seasons as a key figure of the “Baby Bulls” era of Chicagoland hoops. During that time, he twice averaged 20 or more PPG and he never made less than 40% of his three-point tries. Meanwhile, the Bulls advanced to the playoffs three times.
Gordon left the Bulls in 2009 when then-Pistons GM Joe Dumars convinced him to sign in Detroit, but his career would never again reach the heights it did in Chicago.
Over 11 years with four different teams, Gordon finished his career with averages of 14.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.