Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward working hard on his game during the lockout: NBA Update
Ever since the lockout took effect nearly a month back, most of the NBA players have been intent on searching for overseas playing opportunities or going abroad for product endorsements.
However, Utah Jazz No. 9 pick from the 2010 National Basketball Association Draft, Gordon Hayward is still training hard, five days a week at St. Vincent Sports Performance centre in his hometown, Indianapolis.
Hayward said, “I’m blessed that they have all these huge facilities here, and the fact that I live here is just another bonus. I can stop by and then my mom is making dinner for me, so it works out well.”
Hayward is working out on his ball handling, shooting, body conditioning and almost everything that can improve the game of the 21 year old. In the previous season, Hayward participated in 72 games from the Jazz, but only had 17 starts.
He scored at an average of 5.4 points on a 48.5 percent shooting from the field including 47.3 percent from the three-point range. He played for 16.9 minutes on average, during which he clutched 1.9 rebounds and dished 1.1 out assists per game.
Hayward’s stats are low because of his early struggles and short playing time. However, deep in the season, he found his groove and bagged 16.4 points in the last seven games of Utah with a shooting average of 58.1 percent.
The 6ft 8in forward struggled to find time on the court under the reign of ex- coach, the legendary Jerry Sloan. However, Hayward has established himself as one of the brightest talents in the Jazz roster and is very much the part of the young core that the Salt Lake City franchise is looking to develop after the departure of All-Star Deron Williams this February.
To live up to his team’s expectations next season, Hayward didn’t quit the hard work even one month after the lockout.
Hayward said, “It was tough for me to just sit and not do anything because I’ve been doing stuff for such a long time. And so I think the fact that we were also not in the playoffs, I was watching the games and just wanting to play.”
His agent Mark Bartelestein believes that although Hayward is not that brawny, quick and dominating like other NBA players, he has the talent to develop into an elite forward.
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