- Jaxson Hayes was signed by the Lakers this offseason
- Hayes, who grew up in Ohio, now gets to play alongside LeBron James
- Hayes watched LeBron play as a kid and is amazed by how good he still is
LeBron James dominated on the court when Jaxson Hayes was just a little boy growing up in Ohio in the mid to late-2000s. Fast-forward to the present, and Hayes now gets to play with LeBron, who is still a dominant force in the NBA, on the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s insane. I grew up in Ohio… I was in 3rd grade and he was averaging 30 and now I’m his teammate and he’s still averaging 30.”
Hayes was born in 2000 and would have been in third grade in around 2008. LeBron’s averages in the 2007-08 campaign were 30.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. James also averaged 29.1 points per game over the following two seasons, so Hayes wasn’t really exaggerating here.
Fast-forward to 2022-23, and LeBron just finished averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. It really is remarkable that he has managed to be so good for so long. The players who were born in the 2000s, like Hayes, have seen him dominate on the court for basically their entire life.
Kevin Durant Praised LeBron James’ Incredible Longevity
It’s not just the youngsters who marvel at LeBron playing at such a high level for so long. Earlier this year, his longtime rival Kevin Durant also gave James his flowers for his insane longevity.
“A lot of people felt like Bron’s skills wasn’t equal to his athleticism but he hit nine 3s the other night. He’s adapted his game and is shooting a little bit more than when he did back in earlier in his career and he still got that youthful energy. He popping around everywhere, diving over the f****** front row, still taking on people, it’s inspiring to see.”
“As a competitor, it’s like, ‘Man, f*** that, I can do that s*** too.’ But then it’s like, ‘Damn he’s in year 20, he’s 38 years old.’ He goes through so much, off the floor as just a man in general, but family you got so many responsibilities, still love the game, still getting up, playing back-to-backs and s***, still playing 40 minutes, it’s like man, salute to that.”
It is really inspiring and for Durant to say all of that shows just how amazed he is by it. Durant’s longevity is impressive, as he will be entering his 16th season in 2023-24, but he still has some ways to go before he reaches the stage LeBron is currently at as he enters his 21st campaign.
What To Expect From Jaxson Hayes In 2023-24
Hayes joined the Lakers on a two-year deal, and at the time, was expected to be the backup center to Anthony Davis. With Christian Wood later signing with the team, though, I have doubts about just how much Hayes, who averaged 5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game last season, will get to play.
The 23-year-old does have a completely different skill set to that of Wood, however, so depending on the situation, he could get game time. Unlike Wood, Hayes is a capable defender who is also comfortable switching out to the perimeter.
The Lakers’ defense struggled massively whenever Davis wasn’t on the court last season, so Hayes would help in that regard too. He is a bit limited on offense, but is a good rim-runner and should do well in the pick-and-roll as well. I wouldn’t expect big things from Hayes, but he could be a solid piece for L.A.
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