If you are a fan of the NBA, or even basketball in general, I’m sure you have heard the name Gordon Hayward. Now if you have not heard the name, allow me to tell you about one of the hardest working players in the NBA. Gordon played basketball for Butler University and was coached by Brad Stevens.
Butler is not the most prestigious school when it comes to basketball. If you are a basketball fan and have heard of Butler, it is most likely because of Gordon Hayward. Hayward was the star player of the Butler Bulldogs during the 2009-2010 season. He led them to the National Championship that season and was inches away from winning the Championship, literally.
Duke, the other team in the Championship, had a slim two-point lead with seconds remaining. They missed a free throw and the ball ended up in Gordon’s hands. He dribbled to half court and shot with under a second remaining. His shot hit the backboard, then the rim, and the next thing it touched was the floor, he had missed the shot.
This was heartbreaking for the Butler fans; but they were back in the Championship the next year, without Gordon. You can give Coach Brad Stevens the credit for this run. He is a fantastic coach who is now coaching a successful NBA team. Butler lost in the Championship again, this time to Connecticut.
That year, Gordon was playing professionally. He was picked 9th overall by the Utah Jazz. He developed into a star in Utah and played there until 2017. In the 2017 offseason, Gordon chose to sign a contract with the Boston Celtics, who are coached by none other than Brad Stevens.
Gordon Hayward was 5 minutes into the first game of the season, and he suffered one of the most vile injuries in NBA history. He had dislocated his ankle and his foot was completely sideways. He also was diagnosed with a fractured tibia. If you want to see the injury, search Gordon Hayward’s injury on the internet; it is not pleasant. He missed the entire rest of the season due to this injury. He came back in the 2018-2019 season and had a very average year. He was starting to regain his stardom this season. He was starting on the Celtics, a top-10 NBA team. Then, we were all struck with Quarantine.
Fun Fact: About a month into the quarantine, Gordon said he had watched the movie, Frozen, at least 35 times, due to the fact that he has three young daughters.
Contributed by JP Parker a 14 year old soon to be freshman at Trinity Christian School, Newnan, Georgia