30 Surprising Facts About Gordon Hayward That Every Fan Must Know

Gordon Hayward, who first gained recognition for playing mixed doubles tennis with his sister, is currently the power forward and small forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been very successful in his career since his pro debut in the year 2010. Here are some really interesting facts about the American professional basketball player:

1.  He was a member of the United States team for the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, in which he averaged 10 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
2.  In the year 2016, he was selected as one of the finalist for United States Olympic Team, but he had to withdraw his name from the selection. He claimed "family obligations" to be the reason.
3.  He was one of the finalists for the United States FIBA Basketball World Cup team in the year 2014, but unfortunately, he did not make the final 12-man roster.
4.  He was also one of the selected members of the USA Basketball Select Team that trained against the United States Olympic team, in the year 2012.
5.  During his high school basketball career, Hayward was the recipient of the Indiana High School Athletic Association's Arthur L. Trester Award in Class 4A for athletic, academic and mental excellence.
6.  His jersey was reported to be the 13th best selling in the league, according to the Dick’s Sporting Goods’ NBA Jersey Report in the year 2017.
7.  He was featured in print and video advertisements for Unilever's line of men's bodycare products during the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
8.  He initially had an endorsement deal with Peak, a Chinese sportswear company, during his second year in the National Basketball Association, before signing with Nike.
9.  In the year 2018, he signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Anta, another sportswear brand from China, and will debut a signature shoe line as a part of the deal.
10.  He has a passion for video games and was featured in commercials for the IGN Pro League. During the IGN Pro League 3, he played StarCraft II, in 2011.
11.  Hayward is also a partner with the Xfinity, in an effort to promote video games. He signed an endorsement deal with eSports brand, HyperX, in May 2016.
12.  Gordon Daniel Hayward was born on March 23, 1990, to Gordon Scott Hayward and Jody Hayward. He has a twin sister, Heather, who played tennis for Butler University.
13.  He went to Brownsburg High School in Brownsburg, Indiana, where he was more successful in tennis, being a two-time all-state singles player.
14.  However, he averaged 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game as a senior in the year 2007-2008. He and his teammate Julian Mavunga led Brownsburg to the Indiana Class 4A state championship.
15.  It was reported that he made the game-winning basket at the buzzer to defeat Marion High School 40–39, in the title game and was selected Second-team all-state by AP and First-team all-state by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. He was also selected Indianapolis Star Player of the Year.
16.  He went to attend the Butler University, on a scholarship offer, and was coached by Brad Stevens, despite late interest from Purdue and Michigan.
17.  It was reported that he had plans to major in computer engineering, and that he chose Butler University in part for the early morning basketball practices, as it wouldn't interfere with his plans.
18.  In the summer of 2007, he had a recruiting profile on TennisRecruiting.net and even skipped the summer AAU circuit to practice for his senior tennis season.
19.  However, according to Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn, his commitment for both the games - basketball and tennis, led to the college recruiting services overlooking him as a basketball prospect.
20.  Hayward was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, and was also selected to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team and the All-Horizon League First Team, with an average of 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2008-2009.
21.  He received nominations for various preseason All-America teams and Player of the Year awards, as a sophomore, in the year 2009-2010, with an average of 15.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
22.  He was named the Horizon League Player of the Year and selected to the All-Horizon League First Team, and was also selected AP All-American Honorable Mention and ESPN Third-team Academic All-American.
23.  In the final seconds of the championship game of the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Hayward attempted a game-winning, buzzer-beating, half-court shot, which is considered to be one of the most well-known plays in NCAA tournament history.
24.  He was selected as the ninth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Utah Jazz on June 24, 2010, after hiring Mark Bartelstein as the agent.
25.  He was first noted for his performance in an 86–85 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, on April 5, 2011.
26.  Following the 2013–14 season, he became a restricted free agent, and received a four-year, $63 million contract offer from the Charlotte Hornets on July 10, 2014. However, the Utah Jazz matched the offer sheet on July 12, 2014, re-signing Hayward.
27.  He reportedly suffered a fracture of the fourth finger on his left hand on October 7, 2016, and reportedly missed the first six games of the 2016–17 season.
28.  He was selected to the 2017 NBA All-Star Game by the vote of Western Conference coaches, for the first time, on January 26, 2017.
29.  His 21 first-quarter points in Game 3 of the Jazz's first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 21, 2017, was said to be a franchise playoff record for any one quarter.
30.  He suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg, after landing awkwardly on the hardwood after an attempted alley-oop off a pass, less than just six minutes into the Celtics' regular-season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 17, 2017.
31.  Gordon Hayward Net Worth: $40 Million