NBA Player Jaxson Hayes Suspended After Incident with Mascot

The NBA has suspended Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes for one game due to an unusual incident involving the Washington Wizards’ mascot, “G-Wiz.” This event took place during the pregame introductions before the Lakers faced off against the Wizards last Friday.

As “G-Wiz” was carrying a Wizards flag down the court towards the Lakers’ bench, he unexpectedly collided with Hayes. The encounter was described as a hip check, drawing comparisons to action seen in the NFL. Fortunately, “G-Wiz” was not harmed in the incident.

Despite this strange beginning, Hayes contributed significantly to the game, scoring 10 points, grabbing three rebounds, and providing an assist off the bench. His efforts helped lead the Lakers to a commanding 142-111 victory over the Wizards. Due to the suspension, Hayes will miss Thursday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hayes’ rights were quickly transferred to the New Orleans Pelicans. Prior to joining the NBA, he was a distinguished player at the University of Texas. Over the course of four seasons with the Pelicans, Hayes averaged 7.5 points and 2.6 rebounds across 241 games. Before the 2023-24 season, he signed with the Lakers.

In the ongoing season, Hayes has averaged 6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over 41 appearances. The Lakers hold a record of 30-19 and are currently sixth in the Western Conference as the All-Star break approaches.

The information in this article was additionally supplied by the Associated Press.