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We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Georgia State assistant coach Jarvis Hayes. He led the SoCon in scoring, then led the SEC in scoring, then played 12 years of pro basketball before coming back to college to coach. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Hayes about being a great scorer and his expectations for this year.
In 2000 as a player at Western Carolina you became the 1st freshman in 40 years to lead the SoCon in scoring: how were you able to come in and dominate right from the start? Coming in as a freshman the only thing that I knew was to be aggressive. I did not know anything about college, the system that we ran or nothing. I relied on my love for the game and my aggression. My coaches empowered me to be aggressive and fortunately it translate to the games.
After transferring to Georgia you led the SEC with 18.6 PPG to achieve the rare distinction of having led 2 different conferences in scoring: what is the secret to being a great scorer? I do not think there is a great secret to scoring. I was a bigger wing when I played. I am not going to say that I was the fastest player but I used my size/fundamentals to keep me 1 step ahead. I used my opponents’ defensive aggression to my advantage: more often than not they were shorter/quicker than I was. They tried to speed me up and get me to play out of control and keep me away from the 4 spots on the floor where I was most comfortable: the 2 corners and the 2 wing spots. I relied on the fundamentals to gain an advantage in getting to my spots and making plays. By cutting the speed of my defender with great footwork, they were at my mercy because it did not matter how fast they were: if I got to my spots then they could not combat my size.
Take me through the 2002 NCAA tourney:
You scored 31 PTS/14-22 FG in a win over Murray State: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? The 2002 NCAA tournament was probably the best and worst feelings ever wrapped into 1 weekend!! In my 1st-ever tourney game I was on fire and felt like no one could stop us. Murray State actually started the game pretty hot and was winning for a good bit of the 1st half. After we settled down a bit our size/discipline/talent took over. My emotions were so high that day that I could have played another game that same day! It was an unbelievable feeling to play your best on the biggest stage.
You had 26 PTS/4-5 3PM/11 REB in a 2-PT loss to Southern Illinois (who overcame a 30-11 1st half deficit): where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? On the flip side 2 days later was quite possibly the worst feeling that I felt. Against Southern Illinois we had a huge 1st half lead and went into halftime confident that we would get the win. Southern Illinois fought back and won a hard-fought game 77-75. Personally I thought that I played pretty well but it was not good enough: I felt like I could have done more for us to win. I took great responsibility in the loss being the leader of the team but all in all the chance to experience March Madness was AMAZING!!
In the summer of 2003 you were drafted 10th overall by Washington (5 spots behind Dwyane Wade): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? Getting drafted 10th overall in 2003 was an amazing experience. In a way it was validation not only of my college career but my entire career from rec ball through middle school/high school/college. I was never very highly recruited, did not have a ton of offers, and was never on any list of the highest-ranked players. I was doubted all the way through and had to prove myself at every stop. It never made me angry but only fueled my motivation to get better. The funny thing is that although reaching the NBA was a lifelong dream, it was never the end-all/be-all if I did not make it. I always prided myself on my love of the game and felt that if I was only concerned with that then the rest would take care of itself.
You spent more than a decade playing in the NBA/overseas, as well as for the Qatari national team: what do you see as the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? I played 12 years of pro ball: 7 in the NBA and 5 overseas. The biggest difference at that time was the physicality of the game. Do not be confused: the NBA is a very physical league but the overseas game is a bit more physical. This is not only because of the rules (or lack thereof, such as NO illegal defense) but since the players were not as athletic they played a more rugged game. Before the current small ball we see in today’s NBA game, the post players were extremely skilled shooters/passers. Today’s NBA game has a large European feel to it.
You work for Coach Rob Lanier: how did he do in his 1st year in Atlanta, and are there any big changes we should look for in Year 2? My time here at Georgia State with Coach Lanier has been amazing. Looking back at Year 1: I think sometimes when you come into a situation as a new head coach where you have to rebuild and basically start from scratch it can be tough. What is equally (if not more) difficult to do is come into a situation where the program is a consistent winner and the foundation is solid…and then step in and raise the bar from there: that is what Coach Lanier has done. The returning players bought in from Day 1. Coach’s vision was set, the guys committed to it, and it showed in the results. Going into Year 2: the excitement around the guys and the staff is high. We have a great group of freshmen who will be ready to help us along with 3 transfers who sat out last year that are chomping at the bit to play. It should be very exciting this year!
You have a few transfers on the roster including Corey Allen (from Detroit)/Justin Roberts (from DePaul): as someone who knows a little bit about transferring, what is the key to fitting in when joining a new team? With the transfers on last year’s roster in Corey/Justin, I would tell them that sitting out was the toughest thing they had to do and that they are almost free. The emotion that goes through one’s mind about performing after sitting out is nerve-racking. I constantly tell them that the way to fit into a new situation is to be genuine to yourself: you have to always be who you are. Both of those guys are team-first guys and the fitting-in part did not come hard to them because their commitment to the game was pure. I thought both of those guys played extremely well for us.
Your twin brother/college teammate Jonas is an assistant coach at Xavier: who is the best player in the family? Of course I am the best player in the family: what were you expecting?! Although Jonas was a very good player in his own right.
What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It is a very difficult time in America today. All of the injustices you see almost on a daily basis are heartbreaking. As an African-American I find the greatest challenge is having the conversations that I have to have with my 2 sons who are only 10 and 11 years old. It is hard for me to find the right words. Trying to explain to them that you will not get the benefit of the doubt in most situations because of the color of your skin. I try to be sure that I raise my boys to be respectful and always take the higher road: I teach them to love and respect everyone.
What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? With each year there is a new team/new goal/new expectations. For this team, my goal/expectation is for us to be the best version of ourselves as a team. and if we can accomplish that then this year should be really special!