Strengths: Hayward is not your prototypical 6'6 wing. Played predominantly the 4 spot for Marquette, occasionally forced to play the 5. Held his own against the beasts of the BE, not afraid to mix it up ... An effective interior player despite his frequent size disadvantage, thanks to a 7 3/4 wingspan ... Has a knack for getting quality shots off in the paint, excellent use of the 'flip shot' ... Showed his core strength performing 15 reps of 185 at the NBA Draft Combine ... Excellent stationary shooter ... Form and follow through are textbook with no excess moving parts- simple mechanics and a quick, effortless release ... Uses his lower body extremely well on his shot- like an anchor, generating lift from his base. Possesses tremendous range well beyond the NBA 3, which he put on display at the Reese's All-Star Game at the Final Four (5 threes). Shot 35% from distance as a senior in 5.5 attempts per game ... Found some of his best looks in the pick and pop game, where he was very effective stepping out ... Hit 17 of 25 college threes and 15 of 25 NBA threes at the combine shooting drill. Utilizes the pump fake well knowing opponents must respect his jumper ... When he sees an open lane, he attacks the hole with reckless abandon- wills his way to the basket ... Outstanding FT shooter, shooting 82% as a junior and 84% as a senior. Won 96 games in his 4 years at Marquette ... Clutch player, not afraid to take and make big shots. Made drastic improvements in all facets of the game during his collegiate career ... Increased his scoring average from 6.8 as a freshman to 18.1 as a senior, and rebounding from 3.6 to 7.5 (8.6 rpg as a junior). Opened eyes at combine athleticism tests with a 36 inch max vert and 3.31 3/4 court sprint ... Finished 2nd, only behind John Wall, in the lane agility drill at 10.87.

Weaknesses: Despite solid showings in the athletic testing, concerns over general athletic ability, explosiveness and quickness still remain ... Does he possess the lateral quickness to defend opposing two-guards or wings? Despite his toughness and lower body strength, he's not defending 4's at the next level ... He will need to prove he can defend on the perimeter ... Appeared lead footed at times when forced to cover quicker opposition at the college level. While he's an efficient spot up shooter, does not shoot well on the move or off the dribble. Needs time to get his legs underneath the shot. Additional cultivation of the mid-range game will be critical to his success. Did not spend time coming off screens in college, usually acting as the screener ... Can he use screens effectively and make shots? His ball handling skills are extremely limited for an NBA SG/SF ... Has minimal creativity as a result, and unable to get shots for himself ... Dribbles with his head fixated on the ground ... Had turnover problems (2 per game) despite limited ballhandling responsibilities ... Was the beneficiary of open 3 pt looks floating around the three point stripe when defended by bigs ... Open spaces will be few and far between when guarded by players of comparable size ... Became heavily reliant on the three rather than using his brute strength inside. Almost 40% of his FG attempts came from beyond the arc ... Did not spend enough time on the FT line (3.7 FTA), failing to attempt more than 8 in a game. With his accuracy, he should be seeking out contact whenever possible.

Notes: Hayward averaged 9.3 and 5.6 rebounds at the World University Games in 2009. Was responsible for an unfortunate incident in the 2009 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 against Missouri, wherein he stepped over the baseline on an out-of-bounds play with his team trailing by 2 with 5 seconds remaining.

Adam Ganeles 6/8/10

YouTube Clip - 1/28/2009