Jaxson Hayes comes from an athletic background – his father played in the NFL and his mother was a standout college basketball player. But the Cincinnati native didn’t realize he might be able to play in the NBA until very late in his career compared to most future pros, not zeroing in on hoops until 11th or 12th grade. The late bloomer discussed his background with Pelicans.com, including a moment from a Thunder-Pacers game in 2013 that helped inspire him to appreciate the game:
Pelicans.com: What was the moment you knew you could play in the NBA?
Hayes: Probably my senior year of high school. I started playing, and I was just playing really well. I was like, “Well dang, I keep (playing well) for a while.” In college, I had a good freshman year and so we are where we are right now.
Pelicans.com: Did you have a welcome to the NBA moment? Anything that sticks out to you?
Hayes: Probably my first game I ever played vs. the Warriors, when they had D-Lo, Steph, Draymond. I came on the court and all of them were out there. And I was like, “Dang, I’m really here.” I’d probably say that was it.
Pelicans.com: Was there a moment where you felt the most comfortable for the first time? Like things slowed down for you?
Hayes: Probably that game. I had a block vs. Curry, it was my first (defensive) stop. And then I was like, “OK, yeah, I could do this.”
Pelicans.com: It’s the 75th anniversary of the NBA. Have you thought about who your all-time starting five would be?
Hayes: Hmm, that’s a good question. I would say Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and then Shaq probably.
Pelicans.com: Do you have a favorite NBA moment when you were growing up that you remember?
Hayes: I don't know if y'all remember when Kevin Durant dunked on Roy Hibbert in Indiana. I don’t even know what year it was, I want to say it might've been like seventh, eighth grade for me. But I was at that game and it was pretty crazy. I was like, “Dang, I want to play basketball.”