One of the NBA's most underrated stories to watch in the season ahead will take place on the Phoenix Suns.
There, a former college superstar who hasn't played in the NBA in seven years is making his comeback to the association.
The player: Nigel Hayes-Davis, who played at Wisconsin as Nigel Hayes.
Hayes-Davis hasn't played in the NBA since suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors across a small nine-game sample size in the 2017-18 season.
The 6-foot-8 forward had gone undrafted out of Wisconsin, and after that one campaign, he went overseas.
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Since then, he has played for Galatasaray, Zalgiris, Barcelona and Fenerbahce, with the first and last clubs being in Turkey, Zalgiris in Lithuania and Barca in Spain.
In EuroLeague action in 2024-25 for Fenerbahce, Hayes-Davis put up 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.3% from 3-point range. That's the second-best basketball league in the world, and it feels like that game can translate.
Hayes-Davis spoke to reporters this week and said he feels like that's the case for sure.
“There was a lot of talk that it’s a different game between EuroLeague and the NBA,” Hayes-Davis told reporters. “Of course it is. But for me, I just need to play basketball and do what I do. I think the way I play basketball on both sides of the ball works in either league, on any continent.”
The Suns will be hoping so. They made a bunch of changes this offseason and will have what feels like a new-look team. If Hayes-Davis can be a true contributor, it'll go a long way toward their success.