Gordon Hayward

Strengths

Right handed....Hayward has great size for a shooter, standing at 6'8". He is only 200 pounds, but is a solid 200 … He can flat out shoot- he has deep range, extending past the NBA 3-point line. But he is even tougher to defend because he can handle the ball like a Guard and score both inside and out… Versatile… He has an excellent cross-over, especially a right-to-left cross to create enough space to shoot a jump shot or drive to rim… He is an above-average rebounder. He will go up and get the ball, but he is not aggressive enough on the boards… Hayward has good, quick hands. He catches most everything that comes his way on offense and on defense, his quick hands create many opportunities for steals and deflections. His length makes him an adequate shot blocker… Defensively, the 6'9" Wing was very impressive. He is very active and has good defensive awareness. He blocks cuts, gets in the passing lanes and crashes the boards… Has the intangibles for the next level- he has a very high basketball IQ and he understands what it takes to win. Butler's Coach, Brad Butler, and Jamie Dixon, the Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers, served as Gordon's coach of Team USA U-19 team said they loves what Hayward brings to practices and what type of person he is…

Weaknesses

Hayward should look to add more weight to his 6'8", 200 pound frame, especially lower body strength. Offensively, he gets pushed off of his cuts towards the baskets and struggles with physical defenders because he cannot hold his position… He cannot create much of a shot for himself, so he tends to stand still, waiting for an opportunity to present itself… Hayward is not your prototypical NBA-like athlete. His jumping abilities won't "wow" you, nor will his speed up-and-down the court. His lateral quickness is just okay, but won't be enough to guard NBA 3's…