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Butler Bulldog banners and signage during the game against Missouri State on November 4, 2024 at Hinkle Fieldhouse (Photo\/David Dixon)<\/p>\nButler University is bringing one of its most iconic figures back into the fold, naming retired NBA star and Butler Athletics Hall of Famer Gordon Hayward as an executive basketball advisor.<\/p>\n
The university announced on Oct. 13 that Hayward will volunteer his time in an advisory capacity, working directly with head coach Thad Matta, General Manager Tony Bollier and Athletic Director Grant Leiendecker on initiatives for the Bulldog men\u2019s basketball program.<\/p>\n
Hayward, who concluded a 14-year NBA career in 2024, will leverage his extensive professional experience to advise the program on talent evaluation, recruitment, player development and cultivating a winning team culture. A central component of his role will be mentoring current student-athletes, focusing on leadership and professional development.<\/p>\n
The appointment significantly strengthens the bridge between Butler\u2019s celebrated past and its ambitious future.<\/p>\n
Butler Bulldog banners and signage during the game against Missouri State on November 4, 2024 at Hinkle Fieldhouse (Photo\/David Dixon)<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to formally engage Gordon with Butler basketball in this new role,\u201d Leiendecker said. \u201cGordon\u2019s 14-year NBA career speaks for itself \u2014 he\u2019s competed against the best players in the world at the highest level of the game, learned from some of the best minds in basketball, and experienced what it takes to succeed as a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leiendecker, who played with Hayward during his two seasons with Butler, emphasized his unique value.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat wealth of knowledge, combined with his deep connection to Butler, makes him uniquely positioned to have an immediate and meaningful impact on our program,\u201d Leiendecker said. \u201cHis leadership, insight, and passion for this place will be invaluable as we continue to build the future of Butler Basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Hayward, the position is an opportunity to give back to the school that launched his career.<\/p>\n
![\"NBA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP24214538166653-600x400.jpg\")
Oklahoma City Thunder\u2019s Gordon Hayward handles the ball in Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, on May 11, 2024, in Dallas. Hayward, who nearly gave Butler a national title over Duke with a half-court shot that just missed on the final play of the 2010 NCAA men\u2019s basketball championship game, retired from the NBA after 14 seasons on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a lot of people who were instrumental in my development on and off the court during my time at Butler, and I\u2019m excited to give back to the program by helping today\u2019s Bulldogs in a similar way,\u201d Hayward said. \u201cI look forward to building relationships with the staff and our current and future Bulldogs in order to positively impact the program that I care deeply about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hayward\u2019s legacy at Butler is the stuff of legend, albeit a brief tenure. In just two seasons from 2008 to 2010, he helped catapult the program into the national spotlight. He was the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2010 and was instrumental in the Bulldogs\u2019 Cinderella run to the NCAA national championship game, a contest they narrowly lost to Duke. His last-second half-court shot that rimmed out at the buzzer remains one of the most memorable (and \u2018what if?\u2019) moments in tournament history.<\/p>\n
His performance earned him the Most Outstanding Player award at the NCAA West Regional and a spot on the Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.<\/p>\n
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Butler University head coach Thad Matta during their basketball matchup at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 19, 2024. (Photo\/Walt Thomas)<\/p>\n
Head coach Thad Matta, now steering the program through the evolving landscape of college athletics, placed Hayward\u2019s return in the highest possible terms.<\/p>\n
\u201cGordon is on a very short list of the individuals who have meant the most to Butler University over the years,\u201d Matta said. \u201cIt\u2019s been incredible to have him and his family around the program more over the last few years, and I\u2019m excited he\u2019s taking on this role and helping us to shape the impact he can have on all aspects of our program. Any time you can deepen the relationship with one of the greatest ever to wear the uniform, it\u2019s a huge win for your program.\u201d<\/p>\n
The advisory role comes at a pivotal time for Matta\u2019s Bulldogs. The team is coming off an appearance in the inaugural College Basketball Crown and is integrating a significant roster<\/a> overhaul. Five impact transfers \u2014 Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Yame Butler (Drexel), Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne), Drayton Jones (South Carolina State) and Yohan Traore (SMU) \u2014 joined the program.<\/p>\n They will mix with key returners like Finley Bizjack, who averaged 10.3 points per game last season, Jamie Kaiser Jr., who is returning from an ankle injury and Evan Haywood, who started both College Basketball Crown games.<\/p>\n The Bulldogs will open their 2025-26 season with an exhibition game against Notre Dame on Oct. 17 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.<\/p>\n For tickets, visit butlersports.com\/buytickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on social media @HorsemenSportsMedia<\/a>. For more sports from the Indianapolis Recorder, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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