Meet
Hayward getting some much deserved recognition
Posted by: Jaron on April 21st, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.Great article on Gordon Hayward.
http://www.nba.com/2012/news/04/20/gordon-hayward-feature.ap/index.html
I can’t believe no one has put this link up yet, I know you must have read it by now. I read it yesterday afternoon. It might have been the not-so-wet willy that finally compelled someone to write about the emergence of Gordon Hayward, but he did get quite a bit of love at the all star break as well. Kenny Smith said if only four guys are future all stars from the Rising Stars Challenge this year, G Time would be one of them. He is starting to show some consistency in his very talented game, and giving some weight to Kenny the Jet’s prediction. We can only hope that both Gordon and Derrick Favors become all stars in the near future. Gordon is playing lights out as of late, and the NBA is taking notice.
By the way, WHERE HAS “JAZZMAN” BEEN SINCE HAYWARD REALLY TURNED IT ON? He was always the first to point out when Hayward had a bad game. I haven’t seen one comment from him in over a month. This is unrelenting proof, that he was always a troll.
I remember Hayward getting booed when he was drafted, I was actually on a long vacation in another country during that draft. I was watching the draft page on the NBA website from my laptop hitting refresh over and over again, watching the names slowly fill in the empty spaces next to the team’s names. I remember praying and hoping and wishing the name “Demarcus Cousins” wouldn’t show up until number 9. I let out my usual “son of a &!+<#” shout of pure disappointment when I refreshed the page to find his name next to the blasted Sacramento Kings. **quick disclaimer, all I knew about Cousins was that he was dang good at Kentucky and huge. I was not aware at the time that he is one of the world’s biggest thugs. We didn’t even have Al yet so I was really hoping for Cousins.
Once he was gone I waited impatiently for a name I recognized to come up next to the Jazz icon as I continued to hit refresh. I must admit I missed the Butler Cinderella story from March Madness that year, because I had no idea who Gordon Hayward was when his name popped up. I watched some highlights of the reaction from the crowd at Energy Solutions Arena and all I heard was booing and I watched some dude in a D Will jersey and a Jazz hat shouting “terrible!!!” If I do say so myself I believe if I had watched the final four that year I would have been very excited to get Gordon. After my initial disappointment I did some research on him, and he looked like a very good player to me. I reminded myself that Stockton got booed as well when he was drafted, and I waited with somewhat tempered expectations for the future.
What followed draft day was the season of the 7th circle of Jazz basketball hell. Somewhere between starting out awesome, then tanking, followed by Jerry Sloan leaving and D Will getting traded, my football shaped Jazz fan head was spinning like the Teacups at Disneyland. What gave me hope for the future was Gordon Hayward, playing amazing defense against Kobe on his way to 20 something points and a victory over the Lakers,Phil Jackson and Kobe both paying huge compliments to him, and then Gordon torching Denver for over 30. I felt that if Gordon could play consistently anywhere near that level, (and its probably on a few of my older posts) we would be a playoff caliber team. I felt we could even compete for a championship again if we could add a few more important pieces. The playoff caliber team part of that hope is now becoming a reality. Whether we make it or not, we are a playoff caliber team. We may be one or two pieces away from being a top tier team. I feel only the Spurs, Thunder, Bulls, and Heat are the only teams considerably better than us. Who would have thought that we could say that after what we went through last year? Whether we make the playoffs or not, we are on the verge of being a force in the West, and Gordon Hayward has been and will continue to be the X factor in that equation.
Replies: 16
Views: 643
16 Responses
Gordon and Derrick amazing future right now! I wait on Burks and Kanter made it too.
Man-crush extreme…activate! Hahaha. I think I was one of a few that didn’t boo him.
Also, I’m sure there are people that can confirm this, I was only one of few, if the only one at times that always pointed out why jazzman was wrong about Hayward.
I think a majority of everyone out there was more disappointed that we didn’t get a big… funny enough we ended up with the very big we wanted, Favors.
@Gerald I did not boo him, like I said I didn’t know who he was, and once I did I just waited patiently to see what he could do. I was with you every time I saw jazzman bashing Hayward I defended him.
@browncoat I couldn’t have imagined a better scenario, Getting Hayward and Favors in the same year, we skipped rebuilding by genius drafting and trades. If we can get a young great point guard, we can be the new Thunder. With less star power maybe, but with better teamwork.
My first reaction was maybe there was a plan to trade dwill preseason for a center and pg . But I never understand how people missed on haywards intangibles. We all saw the ncaa run he had in slc. size, iq , and crazy competetiveness. He’s filling kirelenko like stat lines and im excited to see how he gear shifts into playoffs
Jaron, I never said you did boo him. That part of my statement was just in general.
Hayward’s a monster, and I can’t really count out the fact that he takes a hit like a champ, and doesn’t succumb to the childishness of the thugs of the league. Also, it was Charles Barkley who praised Gordon, not Kenny, though I’d take that as a bigger compliment, given that when Chuck isn’t joking about Karl or talking about how he was the best PF in the league, he actually has a great basketball eye.
Sorry Gerald didn’t mean to sound defensive it kind of looks that way reading it over again, I am with you that I think there were more Hayward skeptics than believers for a long time.
Hayward is like a young Havlachek (I don’t know the spelling) and with more experience and the right players surrounding him, we will all feel lucky to have him.
to be honest, i was angry on draft day, not because of Gordon, but because Greg Monroe was my choice, and not a bad one if you look at what he’s doing with Detroit…. Monroe out, i was so much frustrated that i really didn’t care of who we could draft, the rest was very weak, and Gordon was just “not the worst available”…..
So, what then, we’re in pre season, with this skinny kid in the team, i watch some games and what i see is a real basketball player, not so common with rookies, he can shoot, good fundamentals, FT killer, make good decisions.
First conclusion he’s smart and talented, if his work ethic is at the same level, we will be fine…..
He finished his first year with pretty decent percentage for a rookie, and then, season 11-12, the vertical take-off, all about progression, month after month increasing numbers and percentage, and being just amazing since the middle of March…..
Now he continue to shine, plus he add the 3pt menace in his panoply lately, if he has this confidence in himself i don’t see any limit for him and i’m really glad of that……
Honestly, I never “boo” Hayward’s draft, I was particulary happy even. And if I get REALLY honest, I always said, I still dont understanding Kanter’s draft, yes he’s a good proyect, but … u know, anorther big !@#$% etc.? so,
Go Jazz go!!!!
I knew all along, don’t even have to post, just reply to some of you Jazz skeptics, some of the insanity you say? Gordon Hayward, is the man! The “J” “G Man” when out from Butler University. 2011 National Championship NCAA, almost won it. This guy is a fighter, he loves the game!
I have to admit that I was in disbelief when I heard his name called on draft day . I was under the understandin that we were in dire needs of a big . So naturally I was alittle disappointed with the pick .
But I knew that he had lead Butler to the championship game and was 1 basket from winnin it all . To me that means he has that winnin metality that we needed so much too . I am sure that is what KOC and the Millers thought too .
I now beleive in KOC and what this off season brings . I think that all of Jazz Nation beleives in this young man now .
Go Jazz Go , I still beleive !!!!!!
“G” Man hit the clutch J for 3 give a little spread lead in OT.
Amen