William "Butch" Hays (born 16 September 1962) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who played most of his career in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

's National Basketball League (NBL) from 1991 to 2003.

Early life

Born in Los Angeles, Hays grew up in

South Central L.A. South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of downtown. It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as a ...

on West 75th Street in an area known for its street gangs and where he was located was directly between two of the gangs, the Bloods and Crips. As a youth he played athletics, American football and baseball, but was introduced to basketball by a neighbour when he was 12 years old, but it wasn't until he was in high school that he started receiving some coaching. Until high school, Hays and his friends would play street pick up games.

School / college career

Butch Hays earned All-American honours while at St. Bernard High School and was awarded a scholarship with the University of California, Berkeley. After four years with the California Golden Bears men's basketball, Golden Bears under the coaching of Dick Kuchen, Hays graduated as the Golden Bears' all-time leader in assists, though this record has since fallen to former teammate Kevin Johnson (basketball), Kevin Johnson and, later, Jason Kidd.

Professional career

1984 NBA draft

After graduating from Cal Berkeley, Hays, a point guard, nominated for the 1984 NBA draft and was a seventh round pick of the Chicago Bulls who that year also drafted a player from North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, North Carolina named Michael Jordan. As draftees, Hays and Jordan roomed together and actually lived together before Hays was released from his contract.

CBA

Hays landed in the Continental Basketball Association where in 1988 he signed with new team, the Bakersfield Jammers, San Jose Jammers.

NBL

After two years with the Jammers, Hays was then signed for two years as an import player by the Adelaide 36ers in Australia's National Basketball League as the teams replacement for long time point guard Al Green (basketball), Al Green. Hays had an immediate impact with the 36ers in 1991 NBL season, 1991 who in 1990 NBL season, 1990 had missed the NBL playoffs for the first time since 1983 NBL season, 1983. Showing his class and skill, Hays averaged 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 9 assists as he helped the 36ers back to the playoffs where they would ultimately be beaten 2–0 in the Semi-finals by their nemesis, the defending and eventual champion Perth Wildcats. In his first NBL game for the 36ers against the Illawarra Hawks on 12 April at Adelaide's then home court, the 3,000 seat Apollo Stadium, Hays scored 36 points which as of 2020–21 NBL season, 2020–21 remains the 36ers club record for points scored in a debut game. In that game he also had 8 rebounds, 11 assists and 6 steals making him an instant favourite among the 36ers fans. During his first year with the 36ers, Hays also set the still standing club record for assists in a single game in the second of the Quarter finals against the Melbourne Tigers, dishing out 17 to help Adelaide to a 132–96 win. 1992 NBL season, 1992 saw the 36ers move into the 8,000-seat Titanium Security Arena, Clipsal Powerhouse, but also saw Hays' numbers dip slightly to 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists and the 36ers missed the NBL playoffs. At the end of the year, the 36ers signed veteran Australia men's national basketball team, Australian Boomers point guard and local Adelaide product Phil Smyth. This, combined with the continued development of local guard Brett Maher (basketball), Brett Maher, saw the then-30-year-old Hays unwanted by the club and he signed with another NBL team, the perennially struggling Illawarra Hawks for two years. Hays helped the Hawks to the quarter-finals in 1993 NBL season, 1993 and 1994 NBL season, 1994 before signing with his 3rd NBL team, the Newcastle Falcons (basketball), Newcastle Falcons from 1995 NBL season, 1995. He would spend 3 seasons in Newcastle, New South Wales, Newcastle, helping the Falcons to the playoffs in 1995, but missing the finals in 1996 NBL season, 1996 and 1997 NBL season, 1997. In 1998 NBL season, 1998, Hays signed to play for the North Melbourne Giants, though his stint with his 4th NBL club only lasted 8 games before leaving the club. Unfortunately, due to the NBL's rules at the time he was unable to sign with another club and was forced to sit out the remainder of the season. He then returned to the Falcons for 1998–99 NBL season before retiring at the end of the year. He then began to play with the Maitland Mustangs in the New South Wales-based Waratah League. During the 2002–03 NBL season, Hays suited up for four games for the NBL's Canberra Cannons before retiring (for the final time) from the NBL at the age of 41. He then returned to the Mustangs where he would play until calling time on his career at the age of 50 in 2012. Butch Hays played 232 NBL games, averaging 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

Honours and Accolades

Butch Hays finished his college basketball career in 1984 as the California Golden Bears all-time assists leader. In 2015, former Adelaide 36ers teammate and NBL legend Mark Davis (basketball, born 1960), Mark Davis called Hays one of the smartest point guards he played with in his 17-year professional career. During his career, Hays was known for his knee-high socks.

Current

Butch Hays currently lives in Newcastle, Australia with his wife Julia. The couple have two children; daughter Roberta born in 1989 and son Griffin born in 1992. On 6 May 2010, Hays' 18-year-old son Griffin was killed in an accident on a Newcastle rail line.Butch Hays' son Griffin killed in train accident
/ref> Butch continues to play basketball in th
Newcastle Premier League
for local team the Hustlers, playing with fellow imports Terrell Turner and Waratah League MV

along with other ex-Waratah League, Newcastle Hunters and representative players. He is now the CEO a
SNAP Programs
which is a non-for-profit organisation that assists other organisations and families, in supporting both, young people and people with a disability, through a variety of different programs.

NBL career stats

, - , style="text-align:left", 1991 NBL season, 1991 , style="text-align:left;", Adelaide 36ers , 30 , , 30 , , 42.4 , , .542 , , .551 , , .821 , , 4.5 , , 9.0 , , 2.0 , , 0.3 , , 24.6 , - , style="text-align:left", 1992 NBL season, 1992 , style="text-align:left;", Adelaide 36ers , 24 , , 24 , , 41.4 , , .506 , , .419 , , .773 , , 4.6 , , 6.6 , , 2.2 , , 0.5 , , 21.6 , - , style="text-align:left", 1993 NBL season, 1993 , style="text-align:left;", Illawarra Hawks , 28 , , 28 , , 45.6 , , .483 , , .309 , , .774 , , 4.5 , , 6.2 , , 2.3 , , 0.0 , , 18.3 , - , style="text-align:left", 1994 NBL season, 1994 , style="text-align:left;", Illawarra Hawks , 28 , , 28 , , 45.6 , , .519 , , .456 , , .770 , , 5.3 , , 5.4 , , 2.1 , , 0.2 , , 21.0 , - , style="text-align:left", 1995 NBL season, 1995 , style="text-align:left;", Newcastle Falcons (basketball), Newcastle Falcons , 29 , , 29 , , 44.7 , , .472 , , .422 , , .778 , , 5.6 , , 7.1 , , 1.5 , , 0.5 , , 20.2 , - , style="text-align:left", 1996 NBL season, 1996 , style="text-align:left;", Newcastle Falcons (basketball), Newcastle Falcons , 26 , , 26 , , 45.1 , , .456 , , .381 , , .839 , , 5.5 , , 6.0 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 18.7 , - , style="text-align:left", 1997 NBL season, 1997 , style="text-align:left;", Newcastle Falcons (basketball), Newcastle Falcons , 30 , , 30 , , 42.9 , , .473 , , .366 , , .781 , , 4.2 , , 5.1 , , 1.4 , , 0.1 , , 17.8 , - , style="text-align:left", 1998 NBL season, 1998 , style="text-align:left;", North Melbourne Giants , 8 , , 8 , , 37.1 , , .466 , , .286 , , .688 , , 2.9 , , 3.4 , , 0.9 , , 0.1 , , 8.9 , - , style="text-align:left", 1998–99 NBL season, 1998–99 , style="text-align:left;", Newcastle Falcons (basketball), Newcastle Falcons , 25 , , 25 , , 28.8 , , .459 , , .337 , , .758 , , 2.3 , , 3.3 , , 0.7 , , 0.2 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left", 2002–03 NBL season, 2002–03 , style="text-align:left;", Canberra Cannons , 4 , , 0 , , 11.4 , , .250 , , .200 , , .600 , , 1.0 , , 1.8 , , 0.8 , , 0.0 , , 2.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" , Career , 232 , , 228 , , 41.6 , , .491 , , .392 , , .790 , , 4.5 , , 6.0 , , 1.6 , , 0.3 , , 18.6

References

External links

butchhays.com

Adelaide 36ers - TITLE TOWN (1990s)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hays, Butch 1962 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people Adelaide 36ers players African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines American men's basketball players Basketball players from Los Angeles California Golden Bears men's basketball players Canberra Cannons players Chicago Bulls draft picks Illawarra Hawks players Manila Beer Brewmasters players Newcastle Falcons (basketball) players North Melbourne Giants players Philippine Basketball Association imports Point guards San Jose Jammers players