It has been more than six years since Nigel Hayes-Davis last appeared in an NBA game. After going undrafted in 2017, the 29-year-old forward played nine total games for three different teams in 2017-18. Hayes-Davis got to play against some of the best talent the NBA has to offer though as he was part of the USA Select Team that trained with Team USA for three days. That brief three-day period was enough for one of the most accomplished scorers in league history to believe that Hayes-Davis belongs in the NBA.
Kevin Durant Believes USA Select Team Member Belongs In NBA
Durant Praises Nigel Hayes-Davis For His NBA-Level Talent
35-year-old Kevin Durant did not participate in the training camp with the USA Select Team. He sat out due to a strained calf, and he hadn’t practiced with Team USA until Friday. While he wasn’t playing, Durant had a bird’s eye view from the sidelines. He clearly was impressed with Hayes-Davis, and according to Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net, Durant stated that he has NBA-level talent.
“I think he has the talent to be in the NBA” Durant said about Hayes-Davis. “He’s been showing that so far, he’s showed that in college, and playing in the EuroLeague. Hopefully, he gets this opportunity, but he just loves to play regardless and he will play and work on his game until he can no more. Hopefully, he’s in the league soon.”
That is quite the praise from Durant, and it would be nice to see Hayes-Davis receive another chance. At 29 years old, there is still time for him to return to the league sometime soon.
Hayes-Davis Is A EuroLeague Record Holder
It was just this past season that the six-foot-eight Hayes-Davis set a new single-game record in the EuroLeague. Playing for Fenerbache Beko Istanbul, Hayes-Davis dropped 50 points in a game in late March against ALBA Berlin. That is the most by a player in EuroLeague history. He broke the record of former NBA player Shane Larkin who scored 49 in a game in 2019.
A younger Hayes-Davis played his college ball with Wisconsin from 2013-14 until 2016-17. He was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman and First Team All-Big Ten as a junior. In 150 games with Wisconsin, he posted averages of 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, Hayes-Davis spent much of the 2017-18 season in the G League with the Westchester Knicks. In 38 games for them, he averaged 16.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals. He was lights out from beyond the arc connecting on 45.4% of his three-point tries.
His play at the NBA level that season was minimal action with three different teams. After signing a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, Hayes-Davis’ NBA debut was on January 21, 2018. They didn’t re-sign him to a second 10-day deal, but he was given another chance by the Toronto Raptors. He played two games for Toronto but wasn’t brought back once the 10 days expired. Hayes-Davis signed late in the season with the Sacramento Kings. The deal was for the remainder of the season, and he got into five games with the Kings. In his nine total games at the NBA level, Hayes-Davis averaged 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds.
