WNBA: The Wait Was Long On Draft Day 2012 But Tiffany Hayes Has Made Good
By Rob Knox @knoxrob1
WASHINGTON – Tiffany Hayes waited. And waited.
“I’ll never forget that day,” Hayes said.
Projected to be a first round draft pick, the 5 foot, 10 guard sat in the green room during the 2012 WNBA Draft.
Hayes watched and cheered as athletes, one by one, had their name called, met the commissioner and had their photo taken. Meanwhile, Hayes patiently waited.
As the bodies dwindled in the room, Hayes turned to her mother, Dorothy. Her rock. She provided reassurance that everything would be fine.
Proving that good things come to those who wait, Hayes was drafted 14th overall by the Atlanta Dream.
She was the second selection in the second round. Now, in her fourth year, the affable Hayes is one of the most effective and dynamite players in the league.
“I remember my mom telling me that she hoped I got drafted to Atlanta because it’s closest to my home in Florida,” Hayes said. “I remember having (Atlanta’s) colors on and not really knowing it. I just remember sitting there and waiting for my name to be called. I was relieved as was my mom.”
It was surprising to many that Hayes, a two-time national champion at UConn, didn’t get drafted in the first round, but none of that matters now. Sometimes things have a way of working out as Hayes is in the perfect place and making a huge impact.
“I think Atlanta has been the greatest fit for me,” Hayes said. “I am getting better and growing as a player. Being passed up definitely motivates me. Waiting was tough, but I am glad to be here today.”
Nicknamed the “Silent Assassin”, Hayes has blossomed into a vital cog for the Dream, who split a recent two-game road trip by beating the Mystics, 64-61 on Friday and falling to the Sun, 82-64, on Sunday afternoon.
She’s off to a good start this season for the 2-4 Dream, scoring in double figures in the first five games.
A perfect storm of toughness, elegance and explosiveness, Hayes is the Dream’s second leading scorer, averaging 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
She’s continuing to build on a year in which she averaged 12.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
The ruthlessly efficient Hayes ranked 22nd in the WNBA in scoring and fourth among guards in field goal percentage (.463). Hayes scored in double figures 25 times last season and had five games with 20 or more points.
“She had a fantastic year for us last year,” Atlanta head coach Michael Cooper said. “It was a shame that she got passed up for the All-Star game. She’s a good defensive player and one of the best slashers in the league. She’s a special player for us and only getting better.”
As with the WNBA Draft, being slighted is nothing new to Hayes, who was named to the all-rookie team. It just adds an extra layer of motivation and aggression to her when she steps between the lines. Ever since Hayes started playing basketball, she always had to prove she belonged.
“Growing up I always played on an AAU team that was like three ages older than me,” Hayes said. “My mom always told me that you have to work three times as hard because they feel like you don’t deserve to be on the court because you’re younger.
"Being with the great players in this league, you definitely have to work harder or work as twice as hard for somebody to notice that you do deserve to be in the All-Star Game.”
Dream fans will have to wait some time to see Hayes in action because along with Aneika Henry, she will miss the next four games to compete at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
They will compete in a 3-on-3 basketball competition for the host country after gaining Azerbaijani citizenship.
Following Tuesday’s home setback to the Fever, the Dream play six of their next seven games at Phillips Arena, a stretch that concludes on July 12 after hosting New York.
Hayes and Henry will miss games against Chicago (June 19), New York (June 21) and Washington (June 26), as well as a road contest June 24 at Chicago. They will return to action when the Dream hosts Seattle on July 5.
“I’ve just been trying to get better each year,” Hayes said. “I just want to continue to show that I am a good player and that I deserve to be here. I have a bigger role than last year. I am one of the ones who has to go out and help set the tone.”
Off the court, Hayes partnered with Tamera Young (Chicago Sky), Essence Carson (New York Liberty), Tiffany Bias (Phoenix Mercury) and Alex Bentley (Connecticut Sun) recently to film a recent series of episodes called “Hoop Cred.” Talk about a dream team.
It’s a personal project for the quintet of players as goals of the venture is to help brand and expand the credibility of women’s basketball while increasing fan support.
All five players spent a day in a Naples (Florida) gym giving advice to youngsters, conducting clinics and enjoying the moment.
“Her passing is getting better and she’s working hard to improve other aspects of her game,” Cooper said. “She’s a great three-point shooter and one of the cornerstones of our team. She is going to help us take the next step to a championship.”
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WASHINGTON – Tiffany Hayes waited. And waited.
“I’ll never forget that day,” Hayes said.
Projected to be a first round draft pick, the 5 foot, 10 guard sat in the green room during the 2012 WNBA Draft.
Hayes watched and cheered as athletes, one by one, had their name called, met the commissioner and had their photo taken. Meanwhile, Hayes patiently waited.
As the bodies dwindled in the room, Hayes turned to her mother, Dorothy. Her rock. She provided reassurance that everything would be fine.
Proving that good things come to those who wait, Hayes was drafted 14th overall by the Atlanta Dream.
She was the second selection in the second round. Now, in her fourth year, the affable Hayes is one of the most effective and dynamite players in the league.
“I remember my mom telling me that she hoped I got drafted to Atlanta because it’s closest to my home in Florida,” Hayes said. “I remember having (Atlanta’s) colors on and not really knowing it. I just remember sitting there and waiting for my name to be called. I was relieved as was my mom.”
It was surprising to many that Hayes, a two-time national champion at UConn, didn’t get drafted in the first round, but none of that matters now. Sometimes things have a way of working out as Hayes is in the perfect place and making a huge impact.
“I think Atlanta has been the greatest fit for me,” Hayes said. “I am getting better and growing as a player. Being passed up definitely motivates me. Waiting was tough, but I am glad to be here today.”
Nicknamed the “Silent Assassin”, Hayes has blossomed into a vital cog for the Dream, who split a recent two-game road trip by beating the Mystics, 64-61 on Friday and falling to the Sun, 82-64, on Sunday afternoon.
She’s off to a good start this season for the 2-4 Dream, scoring in double figures in the first five games.
A perfect storm of toughness, elegance and explosiveness, Hayes is the Dream’s second leading scorer, averaging 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
She’s continuing to build on a year in which she averaged 12.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
The ruthlessly efficient Hayes ranked 22nd in the WNBA in scoring and fourth among guards in field goal percentage (.463). Hayes scored in double figures 25 times last season and had five games with 20 or more points.
“She had a fantastic year for us last year,” Atlanta head coach Michael Cooper said. “It was a shame that she got passed up for the All-Star game. She’s a good defensive player and one of the best slashers in the league. She’s a special player for us and only getting better.”
As with the WNBA Draft, being slighted is nothing new to Hayes, who was named to the all-rookie team. It just adds an extra layer of motivation and aggression to her when she steps between the lines. Ever since Hayes started playing basketball, she always had to prove she belonged.
“Growing up I always played on an AAU team that was like three ages older than me,” Hayes said. “My mom always told me that you have to work three times as hard because they feel like you don’t deserve to be on the court because you’re younger.
"Being with the great players in this league, you definitely have to work harder or work as twice as hard for somebody to notice that you do deserve to be in the All-Star Game.”
Dream fans will have to wait some time to see Hayes in action because along with Aneika Henry, she will miss the next four games to compete at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
They will compete in a 3-on-3 basketball competition for the host country after gaining Azerbaijani citizenship.
Following Tuesday’s home setback to the Fever, the Dream play six of their next seven games at Phillips Arena, a stretch that concludes on July 12 after hosting New York.
Hayes and Henry will miss games against Chicago (June 19), New York (June 21) and Washington (June 26), as well as a road contest June 24 at Chicago. They will return to action when the Dream hosts Seattle on July 5.
“I’ve just been trying to get better each year,” Hayes said. “I just want to continue to show that I am a good player and that I deserve to be here. I have a bigger role than last year. I am one of the ones who has to go out and help set the tone.”
Off the court, Hayes partnered with Tamera Young (Chicago Sky), Essence Carson (New York Liberty), Tiffany Bias (Phoenix Mercury) and Alex Bentley (Connecticut Sun) recently to film a recent series of episodes called “Hoop Cred.” Talk about a dream team.
It’s a personal project for the quintet of players as goals of the venture is to help brand and expand the credibility of women’s basketball while increasing fan support.
All five players spent a day in a Naples (Florida) gym giving advice to youngsters, conducting clinics and enjoying the moment.
“Her passing is getting better and she’s working hard to improve other aspects of her game,” Cooper said. “She’s a great three-point shooter and one of the cornerstones of our team. She is going to help us take the next step to a championship.”
- Posted using BlogPress from the Guru's iPad
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