Nigel Hayes, Small Forward, Wisconsin
I’m going to slot Hayes in here because this is the position I project him to play at the next level, but he does have the capability to play as a small-ball 4; or even 5 in extreme circumstances.
Hayes stands at 6-foot-8, 240 lbs, so he can handle his own defensively. I can’t help but be reminded of Harrison Barnes watching him play, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.
Here’s what I wrote after watching Hayes versus Virginia Tech:
- Has the athletic ability to dominate, doesn’t
- Not very assertive, but also doesn’t get the ball a lot
- When he has a mismatch, he won’t call for the ball
- Terrible free throw shooter normally, but shot great tonight (8/9)
- Has good footwork in the post, but again, didn’t get the ball down there a lot
You notice the theme? Does the Barnes comparison makes sense now? No? Let me break it down for you.
Barnes coming out of college was hyped up. He was a top prospect, and was supposed to be a featured, go-to offensive option no matter where he landed. Because he was on Golden State, those expectations were magnified; hence why he was torn into during his disappearing act in last year’s Finals. In Dallas this year, he’s done a lot to reverse that narrative, but some are still skeptical if he can be consistent; which, for the record, is not fair. Get over it people. Golden State misses him, even when KD was healthy.
Now, Hayes isn’t an top-tier prospect like a Jayson Tatum or Josh Jackson, but it doesn’t mean he can’t be a really good player at the next level. During Wisconsin’s game against Florida, watch Hayes. Watch him when he has a mismatch, watch him when he has the ball in his hands. Chances are he won’t call for ball, or will pass it to a teammate. He’s not very assertive, but he can score: Prime Example) 19 points against Villanova, including a clutch go-ahead basket in the game’s final minutes.
A la Barnes, when he’s featured and it works, it’s great. When he doesn’t, he is told to take his normal 10.6 FGA a game.
Like Bacon, Hayes may never be a stater, but he’s shown he can more than handle his own guarding multiple positions on quick switches, and can stretch opponents’ defenses. I think if given the right opportunity, he can really thrive. He’s one of the safer prospects in this year’s draft class.