Lakers' Jaxson Hayes drops emotional 5-word reaction to sister Jillian Hayes' Bearcats snap
Jaxon Hayes' sister Jillian Hayes has made a name for herself in college basketball. She was one of three players selected by the Cincinnati Bearcats for the Big 12 Media Day to represent the school.
It was a proud moment for her brother. The LA Lakers forward took to his Instagram story and sent a shoutout to Jillian with an emotional caption.
"I'm not crying you are," Jaxon Hayes wrote.
Jillian Hayes started in 110 of 114 games in four seasons with the Bearcats. She averaged 11.4 points on 37.7% shooting from the field, 2.1 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game. In May, she also appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue.
Jaxon Hayes's sister Jillian Hayes returns for her fifth season with the Bearcats
Jillian joined the Bearcats in the 2020-21 season, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When she committed in June 2019, she said that she liked the atmosphere of the campus and then-coach Michelle Clark-Heard's style of basketball.
"I love the atmosphere and what Coach Heard has going there," Hayes said. "I think I've always known. Whenever I stepped on campus my parents even said I just light up when I'm with the staff or the players."
This coming season will be Hayes' final one in college. When asked what inspired her to return for her fifth campaign, Jillian said that she has unfinished business to take care of.
"I think it was really important to return," Hayes said. "I think I had unfinished business. Katrina and her staff are incredible and I always say there is no other place I wanted to be. Cincinnati is home to me, the community and all of that. And I think we have really something special we are building and I wanted to be a part of that."
Last season, Hayes led the Bearcats in points, rebounds and steals per game. She averaged 12.9 ppg, 8.4 rpgand 1.2 spg.