New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jaxson Hayes issued a public apology on his Instagram page on Friday following his expletive-laden tirade against the NBA.
The 19-year-old former Texas Longhorn felt slighted upon being left out of the Rising Stars roster, a showcase among the best rookie and sophomore players during the 2020 All-Star Game festivities at the United Center on February 14. He aired out his frustrations in a now-viral clip where he even dared the league to fine him.
After getting criticized online, Hayes took to social media to apologize for his actions. The 6-foot-11 slotman claimed that his poor choice of words was sparked by poor judgment during a moment of frustration.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8AuEmUgpJY/
Picked eight overall by the Atlanta Hawks in last year's draft, Hayes was shipped to NOLA the same day in a trade that involved the draft rights for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Marcos Louzada Silva in exchange for No. 4 overall pick De'Andre Hunter and veteran wing Solomon Hill.
With the Pelicans' top overall pick Zion Williamson out for months due to injury, Hayes did get some minutes in coach Alvin Gentry's rotation. Hayes averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 45 appearances while making 66.2 percent of his field goal attempts.
Although visibly still quite raw offensively, Hayes' length and athleticism translated into several highlights — including monster jams and impressive blocks.
Although his skills are definitely promising, it's quite evident that Jaxson Hayes still has a lot of growing up to do. As of writing, the NBA has yet to address the incident. A hefty fine, however, is expected to come his way.
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