(WKOW)– Former Wisconsin Badger star Nigel Hayes-Davis has thrived overseas — coming off a championship season in Turkey, where he was named finals MVP. Now, he is embarking on a new chapter with the Phoenix Suns, signing a one-year deal.
“Extremely proud moment for myself be able to continue to strive for a childhood dream,” Hayes-Davis said.
Hayes-Davis arrives in Phoenix just as the franchise welcomes a new head coach in Jordan Ott.
“A lot of the offensive principles, schemes and things that he was a part of on the staff with Cleveland align very much with what I was just doing this past season. So, it’s something very familiar.”
He says there is no added pressure with a one-year contract. Instead, Hayes-Davis is putting basketball into perspective.
“We only have one life, and my career in basketball is extremely finite, extremely temporary. And if I have the opportunity to chase that dream, then you know, I’m going to do that. I am going to bet on myself.”
And making it stateside means his biggest supporter will be in the stands.
“Especially with my mother being able to have the opportunity to watch me in person. She watches all the games, of course, when I’ve been been in Europe, but being able to watch and as loud as she supports, I’ll probably hear her during some of these NBA games. It’s a huge blessing.”
Hayes-Davis says his time at Wisconsin laid the foundation for the career he has built.
“I was fortunate to have a great basketball teacher and coach in Bo [Ryan], and to have a solid set of fundamentals. That foundation has helped me have the career I’ve had. The discipline we had on offense and defense — the expectation of borderline perfection — really prepared me for professional basketball.”