PJ Hairston

Steven Wilson

After leaving North Carolina and joining the Texas Legends – an NBA D-League team – Hairston erupted for five big games to begin the 2013-14 season. The six-foot-five point guard tallied a season-high 45 points in his fifth game for the Legends on the road against the Reno Bighorns on January 29. Hairston hit 12 of his 22 attempts from the floor, including five three-pointers. He also added 16 free throws, three boards and three steals in just over 38 minutes of action. Despite his big night, the Legends dropped the contest, 124-115, but it showed how potent Hairston could be. Prior to that game, Hairston scored 22, 40, 7 and 23 points in his first four games.

“In just 26 D-League games, Hairston knocked down 73 3-pointers, an average of nearly three per game. Adjusting to the NBA 3-point line from the shorter college arc was not an issue for him.” – NBA.com

“On leaving North Carolina to play in the NBA D-League, Hairston said, ‘It wasn’t my choice to play in the D-League. I ended up there, and I wanted to be able to graduate, so I was in the D-League and took all of my courses. For some guys, it’s there for them if they want to. Some guys want to stay in college and graduate. It’s up to that person.’” - Eddie Scarito, HoopsRumors.com

“Hairston entered his name into the D-League's pool of eligible players in January, and was quickly snapped up by the Texas Legends. With the Legends, Hairston [was] a prolific scorer. He scored 22 points in his debut against Austin then scored 40 in his next game. A few days later, he dropped 45 on Reno.” – Chris Mannix, SI.com

PJ Hairston

Prospect Profile: P.J. Hairston