Jaxson Hayes: From College Standout to NBA Player
Jaxson Reed Hayes (born May 23, 2000) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His journey to the NBA began with a late growth spurt and a passion for basketball that blossomed in high school.
Early Life and High School Career
Hayes attended Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. What's notable is his significant growth during this period, shooting from six feet (1.8 m) as a freshman to 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) as a senior. According to his high school coach Carl Kremer, Hayes was "No. 20 among 20" on the Moeller freshman team.
In 2018, Hayes participated in the Junior International Tournament (JIT) in Lissone, Italy, leading Team Ohio to its fifth title. As a senior, he averaged 12 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks per game. Despite his late start and being unranked as a top-100 recruit initially, Hayes's athletic potential was evident.
College Career at Texas
Hayes landed at the University of Texas, where his early performance twice earned him Big 12 newcomer of the week honors. His raw talent was quickly apparent, generating buzz as a potential NBA draft pick in 2019. During his freshman year at Texas, Hayes averaged 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 72.8% from the field.
In 32 games (21 starts), he averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes per contest. Hayes set the University of Texas single-season record for field goal percentage (.728, 123-169 FG), and of his 123 made field goals on the year, 74 were dunks.
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He scored a career-high 19 points along with seven rebounds, two steals, and a block in a 69-56 loss to TCU. Hayes injured his left knee in a loss to Kansas in the Big 12 tournament. Despite the injury, he was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, All-Big 12 Second Team selection, Big 12 All-Defensive Team, Big 12 All-Newcomer Team and Big 12 All-Freshman team honoree.
Texas coach Shaka Smart first sent assistant Darrin Horn to scout Hayes. Horn said, “I watched him run the court twice."
NBA Career
Draft and Early Years with the Pelicans
On June 20, 2019, the Atlanta Hawks selected Hayes with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft. Subsequently, his draft rights were traded, along with the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Didi Louzada, plus a heavily protected 2020 first-round pick, to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the draft rights to De'Andre Hunter and Solomon Hill.
Hayes saw minimal playing time at the start of the 2021-22 season.
Los Angeles Lakers
On July 6, 2023, Hayes signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Before that, Hayes has appeared in 311 career games (52 starts) for the Lakers and Pelicans. He has scored double figures in 84 career games, including 10 games with 20+ points, and nine career double-doubles. Hayes has 10 career playoff game appearances (6 starts) for Los Angeles and New Orleans.
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Regular Season Stats
Data Provided by RotowireStatsRegular SeasonPostseasonCareerNews: 1 day agoHayes will not return to Friday's exhibition against the Kings due to a right wrist contusion, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.Spin: Hayes is dealing with a bruised wrist, but it would be surprising if this impacted his status for Opening Night on October 21 against the Warriors.
Personal Life
Hayes comes from an athletic family. His father, Jonathan Hayes, played 12 seasons in the NFL and was the head coach of the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks. His mother, Kristi (Kinne), played basketball at Drake University (1991-95) and earned honorable mention Kodak All-American accolades and Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior (1994-95). She recorded 3,406 career points during her four years (1987-91) at Jefferson-Scranton High School in Jefferson, Iowa. She previously served as an assistant women's basketball coach at Oklahoma, Iowa, and Southern Illinois-Carbondale. Jaxson was born in Norma, Oklahoma, but his family relocated to Cincinnati when he was 3 years old.
Legal Issues
Hayes was arrested on July 28, 2021, for resisting arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department, who were investigating a domestic dispute between Hayes and his girlfriend. He shoved an officer into a wall and was treated for minor injuries before being taken into custody. Hayes pleaded no-contest to misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and resisting an officer and was sentenced to community service, one year of weekly domestic violence classes, and three years' probation. In November 2024, TMZ published surveillance video of Hayes pushing his girlfriend, spitting at her, preventing her from exiting the house, and pulling her back through a doorway. On the video, his girlfriend can be heard saying "I'm not going to let you hit me anymore.
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