National Basketball Association

Gordon Hayward glows about the Jazz's bright future

Published Apr. 29, 2015 12:32 p.m. ET

foxsports

Gordon Hayward really can't say enough nice things about his team this season, from the unsung heroes to Quin Snyder and everyone in between.

"One guy who was kind of unsung this year was Trevor Booker. He played really, really well for us. From my view, he was one of the most important guys we had — not just for the great things he did on the court, but the things he did off the court as well."

"(Snyder is) a genius defensively. I think that shows with the numbers for us. He’s very detailed, very inspiring and passionate. I love that about him. I’m looking forward to playing for him for a long time."

It's great to see Hayward not just show his team love, but appreciation as well. Before the season, there was a lot of talk about Hayward needing to be the leader this year. As the season progressed, it was clear that Hayward embraced that challenge in every aspect. He was more vocal this year, both in terms of encouragement and calling his teammates out when needed. In games, Hayward stepped up numerous times, perhaps most memorably when he hit the buzzer-beating game-winner against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This, too, is another form of Hayward's leadership, praising his team while acknowledging that both he and the team as a whole still have a lot of work to do.

(h/t GordonHayward20.com)