NBA legend Kevin Durant believes Wisconsin basketball great Nigel Hayes-Davis can make a return to the NBA.
“I think he has talent to be in the NBA,” Durant told reporters Friday. “He’s shown that in college. He’s shown that playing in the EuroLeague. Hopefully, he gets his opportunity, but if anything, he just loves to play. He’ll go out there and work on his game until he can’t anymore. So hopefully he’s in the league soon.”
Hayes-Davis, a member of the 2024 USA Select Team, has been traveling with the 2024 U.S. Men’s National Team since its training camp commenced in Las Vegas. The crew is gearing up for a showcase game in London’s O2 Arena against South Sudan on July 20.
The former Badger captured a Turkish League Championship and MVP honors in Turkey’s Basketbol Süper Ligi Finals in June after averaging over 17 points per game during the final series.
I asked Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) about Select Team member and Fenerbahce’s Nigel Hayes-Davis (@NIGEL_HAYES) belonging to the NBA:
“He has the talent to be in the NBA. Hopefully, he gets this opportunity, but he just loves to play regardless. Hopefully, he's in the league soon". pic.twitter.com/rxVI5mzUsb
— Cesare Milanti (@cesaremilanti) July 19, 2024
Hayes-Davis also showcased his knack for scoring while oversees. The 6-foot-8 forward dropped 50 points against ALBA Berlin earlier this season to set the single-game scoring record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
During his collegiate tenure in Madison, Hayes-Davis was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year (2014), two-time third-team All-Big Ten (2015, 2017) and first-team All-Big Ten (2016). He appeared in nine NBA contests during the 2018 season for the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings.
To receive praise from one of the NBA’s most gifted scorers of all time is nothing short of remarkable. Who knows how much the endorsement could mean to front offices. What remains certain, however, is Hayes-Davis’ relentless commitment to his craft.