Nigel Hayes-Davis facts for kids
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Hayes-Davis with Fenerbahçe Beko in 2025
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| No. 11 – Fenerbahçe Beko | |
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| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 16, 1994 Westerville, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Wisconsin (2013–2017) |
| NBA Draft | 2017 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2017–present |
| League | BSL EuroLeague |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | Westchester Knicks |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2018 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2018 | →Raptors 905 |
| 2018 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2018–2019 | Galatasaray |
| 2019–2021 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| 2021–2022 | FC Barcelona |
| 2022–present | Fenerbahçe |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Nigel Hayes-Davis (born December 16, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for Fenerbahçe, a team in Turkey's top basketball league called the Basketbol Süper Ligi, and also in the EuroLeague. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers. Nigel went to Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio.
Nigel Hayes-Davis holds the record for most points scored in a EuroLeague game, with an amazing 50 points! He achieved this in the 2023–24 season against Alba Berlin. In 2025, he helped Fenerbahçe win the EuroLeague championship and was named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP, meaning he was the best player in the championship games.
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Early Life and High School Basketball
Nigel Hayes-Davis grew up in Westerville, Ohio. He attended Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio. During his time in high school, he was a talented basketball player. By the time he was ready for college in 2013, he was 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 215 pounds. Many college scouts thought he was a promising player.
College Basketball Career
Nigel Hayes-Davis played college basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers from 2013 to 2017.
Standout Junior Season
In his third year, Nigel was chosen for the First-team All-Big Ten. He was the top scorer for the Badgers, averaging 15.7 points per game. He also led the team in assists and was second in rebounds.
Senior Year and Graduation
Before his final year, Nigel was named the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. He continued to play well, averaging 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He graduated in May 2017 with a degree in business finance. Nigel was also known for speaking up about important topics like fairness and paying college athletes.
Professional Basketball Journey
After college, Nigel Hayes-Davis began his professional basketball career. He played for several teams in the NBA G League and had short stints in the NBA.
Starting in the NBA G League
After the 2017 NBA draft, Nigel joined the New York Knicks for the NBA Summer League. He later played for their G League team, the Westchester Knicks. He was a strong player there, earning a spot on the NBA G League All-Rookie Team in 2018.
Brief NBA Appearances
Nigel had a few chances to play in the NBA. In January 2018, he signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played one minute in his first NBA game. Later, he signed two 10-day contracts with the Toronto Raptors in March 2018. He even scored 6 points in a game for the Raptors. He also briefly played for the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2017–18 season.
Playing in Europe
After his time in the NBA, Nigel moved to Europe to continue his career.
Galatasaray (2018–2019)
In 2018, Nigel joined Galatasaray in Turkey. He played well, averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in the Turkish League. He also played in the EuroCup, where he averaged 15.7 points.
Žalgiris (2019–2021)
From 2019 to 2021, Nigel played for Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania. He helped the team win the Lithuanian League championship twice, in 2020 and 2021. They also won the Lithuanian Cup twice.
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Barcelona (2021–2022)
In 2021, Nigel moved to Spain to play for FC Barcelona. He played one season there and helped the team win the Spanish Cup in 2022.
Fenerbahçe (2022–Present)
Since 2022, Nigel Hayes-Davis has been a key player for Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He signed a new contract with them in 2023.
EuroLeague Scoring Record
On March 29, 2024, Nigel made history! He scored an incredible 50 points in a single EuroLeague game against Alba Berlin. This broke the old record of 49 points set by Shane Larkin in 2019. It was an amazing performance!
EuroLeague Champion
On May 25, 2025, Nigel led Fenerbahçe to win their second EuroLeague championship. He played a huge role in the final game, scoring 23 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Because of his outstanding play, he was named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP, which is a very special award for the best player in the championship tournament.
International Basketball Experience
Nigel Hayes-Davis has also been involved with the USA National Team. He was part of the "Select Team" that helped the main Olympic squad prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics. This gave him the chance to train with famous basketball stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry.
Personal Life
In 2021, Nigel changed his last name to Hayes-Davis to honor his stepfather. He also has a very well-known cat named Sly in the basketball community. Nigel sees Sly as his "grey shadow."
Images for kids
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Nigel Hayes-Davis playing in 2017
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Hayes-Davis with FC Barcelona in 2022
See also
In Spanish: Nigel Hayes para niños
