VITALS: 6-7, 220, junior, Georgia OVERVIEW: Hayes is an early entry candidate from Georgia, which did not play in the NCAA Tournament last season due to NCAA violations. Hayes averaged 18.3 points last season and shot 43 percent from the arc. Hayes spent the last two seasons at Georgia after playing his freshman season at Western Carolina. Hayes was named an honorable mention All-American selection last season. Hayes was Georgia's first two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection since Dominique Wilkins in 1981-82. Hayes needed just 55 games to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Hayes broke onto the national scene as a sophomore for Georgia when he scored 19 points in a victory over Georgetown. Hayes' twin brother Jonas is a forward with the Bulldogs. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Mid-first round. Because most teams in the latter half of the first round have established 2-guards, Hayes could see himself slip. Washington (10), New Orleans (18), Utah (19) and Atlanta (21) are the most likely suitors. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Ron Harper COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Todd Day, Ron Mercer ROLE PROJECTION: Key reserve, future starter. POSITIVES: Hayes has all the earmarks of your prototypical 2-guard. He has great size at 6-7, and is a fine athlete and great outside shooter. That is a formula for a success at the next level. SHORTCOMINGS: Hayes looks like a guy who will be a solid contributor but a third option at best. He is not always as assertive as he should be, and lacks the prolific explosiveness that the NBA's most productive 2-guards have. Then again, that was said about a kid out of Kansas in 1998 named Paul Pierce.
He will be a starter, and a steal. He has everything that make him a big time player. 16 and 6, in his first 3 years. Book it.
Guys that were also drafted around 10 in the last few years : Caron Butler, Paul Pierce, Amare Stoudemire... Jarvis Hayes will be a star.
