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Gordon Hayward has seen his share of full-court press defense on the court, but the Jazz star's impending free agency has become a full-court press of its own by fans trying to persuade him to stay in Utah.

There's the billboards plastered all over the valley with the phrase "Stayward" and daily social media recruiting messages, but the newest appeals might be the toughest to deny: A stack of letters from Tooele junior high school students.

An Instagram post from Hayward's wife, Robyn, on Tuesday features letters from seventh- and eighth-grade students and an explainer letter dated May 23 from Tooele Junior High School language arts teacher Kristine Jakins.

Jakins' letter reads: "I teach language arts at Tooele Junior High School in Tooele, Utah. In this envelope, you will find handwritten letters from seventh and eighth grade students. They heard that you are in the midst of making a choice about whether to renew your contract with the Utah Jazz or not, and you will see that they feel very strongly about what your choice means for them (as well as the rest of Jazz nation.) I'm sure you will agree that they are quite persuasive. Thank you for taking the time to read their letters, and thank you for everything you have done for the Jazz. We can't wait to see what the future holds for you."

Robyn Hayward captioned the post "It's always so sweet to read what people (kids) write."

The student letters are obscured and mostly unreadable, but whether Hayward remains in Utah or signs with a new team, these kids certainly did their part to try to keep him with the Jazz.

bsmith@sltrib.com Twitter: @BrennanJSmith