NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Nigel Hayes
Strengths
Nigel Hayes is ready for the NBA. Hayes brings experience as a 22-year-old college graduate who has four years of playing in a winning basketball program. Something that can be seen as a positive for a young team ready to take the next step is looking for a proven commodity rather than a potential hit or miss.
Hayes, despite being what some would consider an undersized 6’7″ in terms of height, boasts a 7′ 3” wingspan, putting him in the top-10 of those measured at the combine. Potential NBA lottery selections Harry Giles and Justin Patton measured in with similar wingspans as comparisons. Hayes also possesses a 33.5 inch vertical leap to go along with his 254lb frame, nine pounds above last year when Hayes tested the NBA waters.
Strong fundamentals and a high basketball IQ were on display in the 2017 NCAA tournament highlight video of Nigel Hayes. Great footwork, use of the pump fake, and passes out of the post are dominant throughout for Hayes.
When Hayes has his mid-range jump shot going, his size and strength are difficult to defend as he averaged 14.0 points per game and was first overall in free throws attempted in the Big Ten during his senior season. He is also a contributor in other areas, as Hayes posted 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while playing both forwards spots throughout the year.
Hayes is smart with the basketball. Despite a usage rate of 24.8 percent, Hayes averaged a low 1.7 turnovers per game, another statistic that shows the fundamentals and basketball IQ he can bring.
Wisconsin basketball is known for its defense and Hayes was a major contributor landing third in defensive win shares at 2.2 behind Caleb Swanigan and fellow Badger Ethan Happ in the Big Ten.
| Season | School | Conf | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 38 | 17.4 | 2.6 | 5.1 | .510 | 2.6 | 5.1 | .510 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 4.3 | .585 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 7.7 | |
| 2014-15 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 40 | 33.0 | 4.2 | 8.4 | .497 | 3.2 | 5.8 | .541 | 1.0 | 2.5 | .396 | 3.1 | 4.2 | .744 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 12.4 |
| 2015-16 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 35 | 36.2 | 4.6 | 12.5 | .368 | 3.5 | 8.7 | .400 | 1.1 | 3.8 | .293 | 5.4 | 7.4 | .736 | 5.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 15.7 |
| 2016-17 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 37 | 32.2 | 4.9 | 10.6 | .457 | 4.3 | 8.8 | .488 | 0.6 | 1.9 | .314 | 3.6 | 6.2 | .587 | 6.6 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 14.0 |
| Career | Wisconsin | 150 | 29.6 | 4.0 | 9.1 | .446 | 3.4 | 7.0 | .478 | 0.7 | 2.0 | .332 | 3.6 | 5.5 | .666 | 5.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 12.4 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/7/2017.