After the 2015-16 season, junior Nigel Hayes decided to test the NBA waters but refused to hire an agent. However, following this past weekends NBA Draft combine the senior-to-be appears set to decide it best to return to the Wisconsin Badgers for one last season.
The Zone in Madison was first to report the news, which shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.
Sources close to The Zone say Nigel Hayes will return for his senior season at Wisconsin. #Badgers
— The Zone (@ZoneMadison) May 16, 2016
Hayes came in to the process as a likely second round pick at best, and following the weekend it appeared he would be a late second round pick..if at all selected in the upcoming draft.
Last season, Hayes averaged 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game as the Badgers made the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in the past six seasons. UW bowed out in the Sweet 16 to Notre Dame in a 61-56 loss.
While the report indicates Hayes is leaning towards a return, he does have until May 25th to officially pull his name from consideration and return to school. If said reporting becomes confirmed reality, the 2016-17 Wisconsin Badgers would have every single scholarship player back from a season ago.
Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal points out that Hayes hasn’t officially come to a decision, but after a bad weekend of scrimmages in front of NBA scouts it appears his best chances of an NBA future are with a return to school next season.
It would also make the Badgers a quick favorite in the Big Ten given their expectation-busting 2015-16 campaign and all the returning pieces to the puzzle this upcoming season. It would also be head coach Greg Gard’s first full season in charge of the Badgers after having the interim tag removed this past March.
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