Gordon Hayward was the leading scorer on Butler’s first-ever Final Four team. Photo courtesy of Bleacher Report.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
Gordon Hayward, a Butler Athletics Hall of Famer, was named Executive Basketball Advisor on Oct. 14
Hayward played two years at Butler and led the team to a national championship appearance in 2010. He went on to have a 14-year NBA career and was named to the 2017 All-Star team.
The new volunteer role encompasses scouting, recruitment and player development, as well as professional development with current student-athletes.
Head coach Thad Matta expanded on Hayward’s responsibilities.
“He’s not gonna be coaching or anything like that,” Matta said. “But [he will help] with recruiting and bringing families in and [sharing] his story, why he chose Butler and all the success that he had during the time that he was here.”
In a press release, Hayward detailed why he decided to rejoin the Dawgs.
“There were a lot of people who were instrumental in my development on and off the court during my time at Butler, and I’m excited to give back to the program by helping today’s Bulldogs in a similar way,” Hayward stated. “I look forward to building relationships with the staff and our current and future Bulldogs in order to positively impact the program that I care deeply about.”
Matta is excited about what Hayward will bring to the program.
“He’s obviously an all-time great here and being retired, he’s got free time on his hands,” Matta said. “[It will be great] getting him around our players, they all aspire to go to where he’s been. I’m excited to get him around and pick his brain, and most importantly, just have him around our guys.”
Butler’s vice president and director of athletics, Grant Leiendecker, was a teammate of Hayward’s. He feels that Hayward’s professional experience will be an asset when it comes to mentoring current players, as stated in the press release.
“We are thrilled to formally engage Gordon with Butler Basketball in this new role,” Leiendecker stated. “[His] wealth of knowledge, combined with his deep connection to Butler, makes him uniquely positioned to have an immediate and meaningful impact on our program. His leadership, insight and passion for this place will be invaluable as we continue to build the future of Butler Basketball. This program owes Gordon a lot, and it’s really meaningful that he is giving back to Butler Basketball once again, sharing his time and talents.”
