This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah Jazz rookie Gordon Hayward was born and raised in Brownsburg, Ind., which is located just east of Indianapolis.
He grew up pulling for the Indiana Pacers and idolizing their former star, Reggie Miller.
During pickup games as a youngster, Hayward often pretended to be Miller, who was known for his ability to make clutch shots in the closing seconds.
"I was always Reggie Miller out in the driveway," said Hayward. "Three, two, one …"
A former prep Player of the Year in Indiana and member of a state championship team, Hayward played collegiately at Butler, which is located in Indianapolis.
Last spring, he led the underdog Bulldogs to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Duke.
On Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena, Utah played host to Indiana.
Hayward played his first NBA game against the team he cheered as a youngster.
" … Growing up, you always wanted to play for the Pacers," Hayward said. "So to play against them is different, but it's kind of cool at the same time."
Asked if family and friends in Indiana might be pulling for the Jazz instead of the Pacers because of his presence on Utah's roster, Hayward smiled and said, "I think maybe a little bit.
"People have already texted me saying they don't really know who to root for. But I think my real friends will, hopefully, root for us."
Hayward was born in 1990, about the time Miller was finishing his rookie season with the Pacers. During a 15-year career, he scored 25,279 points.
Hayward says he "modeled" his game after Miller because "… he was the man in Indiana [and] he was kind of like me — skinny, taller, a shooting guard."
Pacer perspective
Before signing with the Jazz prior to training camp, guard Earl Watson spent last season with the Pacers.
Indiana finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs, but so far this year, the Pacers are one of the NBA's surprise teams under coach Jim O'Brien.
"They're playing great," Watson said after Utah's morning shootaround. "They're playing tough. They have a good coach. They are going to take on his personality. They are going to play aggressive. I hope they do well during the season, just not tonight."
Did Watson expect his season with the Pacers would give him an advantage against them?
"You share knowledge [with teammates]," Watson said. "But, at the same time, it's the NBA and everybody pretty much knows everything. There are no secrets."
Raising awareness
The Jazz and Pacers joined a league-wide effort to promote AIDS awareness and education on Wednesday.
In recognition of World AIDS Day, the players wore red and white shooting shirts during warm-ups.
During the game, members of both coaching staffs wore red lapel buttons and ties and most Jazz players wore red sneakers and/or red shoe laces.
Meanwhile, a moment of silence was observed before tip-off for Sherry Black, the mother-in-law of Jazz CEO Greg Miller, who was found stabbed to death in her business on Tuesday.