BROWNSBURG, Ind — Gordon Hayward, who nearly gave Butler a national title over Duke with a half-court shot that just missed on the final play of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball championship game, retired from the NBA after 14 seasons on Thursday.
Hayward played for Utah, Boston, Charlotte and Oklahoma City, and was an All-Star in 2017. He averaged 15.2 points in 835 career regular-season games, and said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family.
“Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” Hayward wrote on social media. “It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.”
Hayward thanked his parents and family, his agent Mark Bartelstein, coaches, teammates, trainers, doctors and friends for supporting him “through countless years and cities, helping me exceed my own expectations.”
“To all my fans: thank you for supporting me through the ups and downs,” Hayward wrote. “I’ll always cherish the letters of encouragement and the moments we’ve shared around the world. You inspired me to always dream big and improve everyday — and for the young players up next, I challenge you do to the same.”
Deep Indiana Roots
Hayward grew up in Brownsburg, and played on the state champion team in 2008. 13News was there with Operation Basketball, to talk to Hawyard about the final minutes of the game.
And 8 years ago, while playing for the Utah Jazz, Hayward came back to central Indiana, to practice ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil. Rich Nye caught up with Hayward, as he practiced with pickup games at Trader's Point Christian Church.