NBA
JH
#11

Jaxson Hayes

Center · Los Angeles Lakers · 7'0", 220 lb · Born May 23, 2000 · Norman, Oklahoma · Drafted 8th overall, 2019
NBA Cup champ (2023)Los Angeles LakersLob-threat centerElite finisher
NBALos Angeles LakersCenters
Compare:vs Reavesvs Aytonvs LaRaviavs Doncicvs Kennardvs Smart
In short

Jaxson Hayes is an athletic, rim-running lob-threat center for the Los Angeles Lakers. Drafted 8th in 2019 out of Texas (Big 12 Freshman of the Year), he began his career in New Orleans before joining the Lakers in 2023 and winning the inaugural NBA Cup. An elite vertical finisher, he shot over 75% from the field in 2025-26 and is pursuing a Slovenian passport to play internationally alongside Luka Dončić.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceWed, Nov 11
vsMemphis GrizzliesDrop coverage
Proj. points
7.5
range 4.8–10.2
Line 7.5
50%
to go over
Team win
64%
114–110
Poi 7.5 Lean underReb 4.1 Lean overAss 0.9 Lean underPRA 12.5 Lean under
Likely on himZach Edey· 87 Rim protectionStrong defender
5+ pts80%10+ pts20%

Model lines Hayes at 7.5 pts (range 4.8–10.2) vs a 7.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (50%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Hayes
The Hayes Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

An explosive 7-foot lob threat — the athletic finisher who runs with Luka.

An athletic-family kid and Big 12 Freshman of the Year at Texas, Hayes was drafted 8th in 2019 (Atlanta, rights to New Orleans).

🤘 Texas · 8th, 2019Big 12 Freshman

After four seasons in New Orleans, he joined the Lakers in 2023 and won the inaugural NBA Cup.

NOP → LAL🏆 2023 NBA Cup

An elite finisher, he shot over 75% from the field in 2025-26 across 66 games.

7.5 ppg · .756 FGLob threat

He's pursuing a Slovenian passport to play internationally alongside Luka Dončić.

🇸🇮 w/ LukaInternational plans
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
7.5
2025-26
RPG
4.1
per game
APG
0.9
per game
FG%
.756
LIFE

Roots & the rise

An explosive, rim-running lob threat — the athletic backup center of the Lakers.

Jaxson Reed Hayes was born in Norman, Oklahoma into an athletic family and grew nearly a foot in high school before a one-and-done season at Texas, where he was Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Atlanta drafted him 8th in 2019 and traded his rights to New Orleans.

After four seasons with the Pelicans, he signed with the Lakers in 2023 and won the inaugural NBA Cup. An elite vertical athlete, he finishes lobs and putbacks at a high rate — shooting over 75% from the field in 2025-26 across 66 games — and announced plans in 2025 to pursue a Slovenian passport to play for the national team alongside teammate Luka Dončić.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Hayes comes from a sports family: his father, Jonathan, played in the NFL and coached in the XFL, and his mother, Kristi, played at Drake, with siblings who competed in college basketball and football. His career has also included off-court legal issues — he pleaded no-contest to misdemeanor charges stemming from a 2021 domestic incident, and related allegations resurfaced in reporting in 2024.

On the court his identity is athleticism: a 7-footer who runs the floor and finishes above the rim as a lob threat, complementing Dončić's playmaking. His 2025 decision to pursue Slovenian citizenship to play internationally alongside Dončić underscores the on-court chemistry between the two.

PERSONALITY

The person

An explosive vertical athlete and lob-finishing center — rim-running energy off the bench.

Lob threatAn elite vertical finisher who shot over 75% from the field in 2025-26.
Rim-runnerRuns the floor and finishes above the rim as a roll man.
Shot-blockerLength and athleticism to protect the rim in spurts.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Backup Center · Lob Threat
Temperament
Steady
Leadership
58/100
Scoring54
Playmaking35
Rebounding76
Perimeter D50
Rim protection79
Spacing35
Athleticism70
Clutch61
a lob-threat backup center
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Athletic finishing off the bench

Hayes's value is vertical athleticism: he runs the floor, catches lobs, and finishes at one of the highest field-goal percentages in the league, giving the Lakers a rim-running change of pace behind Ayton. His rebounding and consistency are limited, but as an energy-and-lobs backup center next to Dončić's passing, he fills a clear role.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266618.37.54.10.9.756

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2023Won the inaugural NBA Cup with the Lakers
2025-26Shot over 75% from the field across 66 games as a rim-running center
CollegeBig 12 Freshman of the Year at Texas

Hardware

1×
NBA Cup champion (2023)
1×
Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2019)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

An athletic, rim-running backup center — lob finishing and energy for the Lakers.

On a one-year deal, Hayes gives Los Angeles an elite vertical finisher and change-of-pace big behind Ayton. His rebounding and consistency are limited, but his athleticism and finishing fit perfectly next to Dončić's playmaking.

Rim finishingElite
AthleticismElite
ReboundingBelow average
ConsistencyVariable

Contract

Deal
1 yr signed 2025
Role
Backup C lob threat
Age
26 prime
Bottom line

An explosive lob-finishing center who runs with Luka. Athletic energy and elite finishing off the bench — a clean rotation fit for the Lakers.

FAQ

Quick answers

What is Jaxson Hayes known for?

Elite vertical athleticism — he's a rim-running lob threat who shot over 75% from the field in 2025-26 as a backup center for the Lakers.

Is Jaxson Hayes pursuing international basketball?

Yes — in 2025 he announced plans to pursue a Slovenian passport to play for the national team alongside teammate Luka Dončić.

How did Jaxson Hayes join the Lakers?

He signed with Los Angeles in 2023 after four seasons in New Orleans, and won the inaugural NBA Cup that year.