Gordon Hayward reveals that he was targeted defensively because of his skin color.
Despite the situation, Hayward shared a light-hearted moment on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz this week.
“When the opposing team sees a white guy guarding them, they tend to isolate and attack,” Hayward explained. “You have to make a stop right away, or else they’ll keep coming at you. I wasn’t the worst defender, but every time I checked in, they’d target me.”
“When we played the Lakers one of the years and they had Ron Artest… he looks at me and then looks back at Kobe and he’s like ‘Hey Kob, just throw me the ball in the post man. Look who’s guarding me. I’ve got Bieber guarding me.’” @gordonhayward tells an incredible story… pic.twitter.com/pH05TFlUje
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) August 7, 2024
“There’s definitely a stereotype that comes into play. I remember playing against the Lakers and Ron Artest pointed me out to Kobe, saying, ‘Look who’s guarding me, it’s like having Bieber on me.’ He posted me up and there was nothing I could do against him,” Hayward recalled.
Though Hayward was a solid defender in his prime, he wasn’t considered elite.
After retiring following the 2023-24 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hayward now looks back on his career.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant’s Epic Message to Gordon Hayward Revealed
