Gordon’s been playing really well. He’s just been assertive. … He’s just been focused. – Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.
HONOLULU — While much remains up in the air for the Utah Jazz after their preseason-opening 90-71 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, one thing is clear at this early juncture.
Gordon Hayward won the first week of camp.
On multiple levels even.
Last Monday, Hayward’s upper body was the talk of media day — from his dapper, hipster-style haircut to his evolving and muscular arms, which look like they experienced a Captain America-like transformation since a skinny Butler sophomore arrived in the pros in 2010.
On Tuesday, Hayward’s coach raved for the first of multiple times about how well the sixth-year player (can you believe it?) performed in practice, including in drills.
“Gordon’s been playing really well,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “He’s just been assertive."
In the middle of the week, Hayward, still in a Captain America-like mode, stood up for the bullied small guys, defending the honor of video gamers who’d been mocked by FOX Sports’ hot-air breather Colin Cowherd.
After Cowherd ranted about the ridiculousness of televised eSports and teased gamers for being lonely Star Wars-loving guys who eat Hot Pockets in their room at their mom’s house — as if there’s apparently something wrong with all of that — Hayward fired back on Twitter. He dug up and posted an old, unflattering photo of the opinionated radio host with a goofy and poofy haircut and wrote, “Hold up…@ColinCowherd is making fun of gamers for being dorks? People in glass houses…”
The next morning, Hayward accepted an invitation to talk about the subject on Cowherd’s radio show. He playfully told the former ESPN personality that he was being stereotypical.
“You need to know what you’re talking about before you criticize,” Hayward told Cowherd.
In turn, Cowherd backpedaled and kissed up to Hayward, telling him, “You’re the hippest guy in Salt Lake City ever.”
The hippest guy in Salt Lake City ever, by the way, explained to media that his decision to go on Cowherd’s show would be considered a “countergank,” a strong pushback, in the videogame world.
Being Mr. Hip wasn’t always the case for the guy who got teased relentlessly earlier in his career for eating at an Olive Garden in New York City instead of visiting one of the thousands of non-chain restaurants. Even Hayward, who joked that he might’ve “hit puberty sometime (in his NBA career),” can admit that he’s different.
“I got married,” Hayward joked. “My wife has changed my appearance a bit.”
The Hayward evolution was made all the more evident last week thanks to a viral Internet meme created by Angie Treasure, a KSL.com employee. The huge Jazz fan and popular local sports tweeter put a photo of Hayward as a thin, pale rookie with a haircut many 10-year-old boys could relate to next to a photo of Hayward sitting at the media day dais with bulging biceps, a tanned body and a suave hairstyle with the caption, “Transformation Tuesday: Gordon’s arms.”
The fact that Hayward even responded to Cowherd at all — via social media and in an interview — offered proof of an internal transformation that’s coincided with his physical maturation.
Would the younger, wimpier Hayward who looked like he gets cable — another Twitter meme playing off of the DirecTV ads — have counterganked Cowherd?
“No way,” Hayward admitted. “Because I was definitely a little bit more shy and not as outgoing, a lot skinnier and nerdier, the whole thing.”
This brawnier version of the scrawny kid from Brownsburg, Indiana, might not back down from a teammate throwing a fastball at his head nowadays, either.
And he certainly plans on ganking (or aggressively attacking for the non-hip kids) the NBA in his sixth season, too. He’ll do anything he can to make the Jazz more competitive.
“I just plan on us being better than we were last year, honestly,” Hayward said. “It’s exciting times around here.”
Part of the excitement in Utah stems from Hayward’s coming of age.
“He’s really good. I watched him at (Butler), watched him his first couple of years in the NBA,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said Sunday before Hayward casually scored 11 points with nine rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes of the Jazz’s preseason-opening win.
“I just think that kid has developed each year. He’s gotten better and better. He’s a helluva basketball player.”
Throughout camp, Jazz coach Quin Snyder has lauded Hayward for being consistent in his high-level effort and approach with the team. Though not naturally a vocal leader, the 25-year-old has developed into the team’s go-to guy for leadership, playmaking and competitiveness. He knows people are watching, and he wants to provide a positive example.
“He’s just really assertive. He’s attacking the rim,” Snyder said. “He’s getting more and more comfortable with himself as that player, as that leader.”
Hayward isn’t shy about his confidence, either.
Though he’s never been an All-Star, Hayward believes he belongs in that group of players. He made that clear when asked if he sees himself as a top seven or eight small forward in the NBA, a group that includes the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, etc.
“I don’t look at myself like that,” Hayward responded. “I look at myself as one of the best in the league. Period.”
Countergank that!
And, yes, Hayward was talking about being one of the best in the top professional basketball league, not in his favorite video game, League of Legends.
“You put in the work, put in the preparation, it’s about us being successful as a team now, (help) my team get wins,” Hayward said. “You look at the top guys at each position and they all help their teams win more than anything — scoring, assists, whatever. I need to do whatever I can to help my team win.”
When he wasn’t playing video games or changing diapers of his new baby girl, Hayward spent much of the offseason trying to become a better late-game finisher for the Jazz. Remember that buzzer-beating, game-winner he had against the Cavaliers last year? He wants more.
To be a stronger closer — the go-to guy the Jazz so desperately need to take that next step into becoming a playoff team again — Hayward hit the gym in Indianapolis this summer to work on his dribbling, his shooting, post-up moves, how to better adapt to switches and take advantage of mismatches, his guns.
And Snyder’s detail-oriented and demanding style seems to be a perfect fit for his evolving game.
“Gordon’s unique,” Snyder said, “and I think there’s more there.”
Jazz fans will be ecstatic if that’s the case, considering Hayward averaged a career-best 19.3 points to go with 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his breakout season a year ago.
Jazz management will be satisfied as well, considering they are paying him $15.4 million this season and need him to produce at the highest level.
“He’s just been focused,” Snyder said of Hayward.
Even so, Hayward still has other priorities, including his young family and, of course, those video games.
“Having a baby girl, it changes your perspective on life. It’s definitely a game-changer. Pretty fun,” Hayward said of little Bernadette. “She’s been awesome for me. It’s changed my outlook on life, something that’s been a blast this offseason.”
Jazz power forward Derrick Favors, who became a father of twins this summer, couldn’t resist take a dig when he heard Hayward talk about being a new dad.
“I think Gordon had it easy,” Favors said. “He only had one. I had two.”
Hayward now understands that being a father includes some sacrifice, including late nights playing League of Legends or FIFA soccer video games.
“That’s the thing I’ve learned is I can’t stay up late anymore, because if I do (my wife) goes to bed and I’m on baby duty,” he said, laughing. “I might as well go to sleep, which helps me out with basketball, too.”
Just another step in another transformation for Hayward, whose life disproves Cowherd’s drivel about gamers.
“I think I convinced him,” Hayward said. “He kind of backed down.”
Next level: Getting NBA players to back down.
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