Jaxson Hayes

It might’ve been difficult to comprehend over their fired-up home crowd, but in a season-opening win on October 22, 2024, Jaxson Hayes and the Los Angeles Lakers left behind quite the message. None, perhaps, were as crystal clear as the 72 paint points that they compiled on 2023-24's third-best interior defense. Paramount in his role, Hayes inadvertently introduces chaos, following a screen that leaves two players grounded, and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defense scrambling to recover. Comfortable leaving the play’s end result to both a trusted go-to scoring method and lob-passing teammate, Hayes begins his rim-run, ultimately extending to the perfect spot for a one-handed alley-oop jam, bringing the arena to its feet. A well-known above-the-rim threat long before, Hayes shined on the nationally-televised stage, tallying 10 points (on a near-perfect four-of-five shooting), alongside four rebounds and one rejection.