Gordon Hayward says he was a goal on the defensive finish of the court docket due to his pores and skin color.
Hayward appeared removed from upset when discussing the matter this week, as an alternative having fun about it on The Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz.
“For no matter purpose, if you see the white man guarding you, it’s like, ‘Let’s iso him and go at him,’” Hayward stated. “And so that you gotta hope that you simply get to cease that the primary time, or else they’re simply going to maintain going at you each single time. And I positively wasn’t the worst defender on the staff, however for no matter purpose, you test within the sport and [they say] ‘We’re going at him. We’re going proper at him.’
“Once we performed the Lakers one of many years and so they had Ron Artest… he appears to be like at me after which appears to be like again at Kobe and he’s like ‘Hey Kob, simply throw me the ball within the publish man. Look who’s guarding me. I’ve obtained Bieber guarding me.’” @gordonhayward tells an unbelievable story… pic.twitter.com/pH05TFlUje
— Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) August 7, 2024
“I’m telling you, there’s just a few kind of stereotype. It’s like folks’s eyes gentle up. I keep in mind, and this in all probability didn’t essentially must do with the truth that I used to be white, however perhaps it was like my face and hair and every thing. However once we performed the Lakers, I believe it was pre-season one of many years, and so they had Ron Artest. I checked within the sport and he appears to be like at me after which appears to be like again at Kobe and appears at me and he’s like, “Hey, Kobe.” He’s like pointing at me like, “Simply throw me the ball within the publish, man. Look who’s guarding me. I obtained Bieber gardening me.” And positive sufficient, you already know he simply posted me up and Ron Artest was actually good, I had no probability. I imply, what are you able to do? At that time, what am I going to do? What am I going to say to Ron Artest?”
To be truthful to Hayward, he was an above-average defender in his prime, even when he wasn’t elite.
The previous Jazz and Celtics star is now retired after taking part in his last season in 2023-24 with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant’s Epic Message to Gordon Hayward Revealed
