This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A year later, the guy who drafted Gordon Hayward gladly would do it again.
Kevin O'Connor? Yeah, him too.
The actual announcement of Hayward as the Jazz's first-round pick came from a season-ticket holder selected in a random drawing, resulting in the harshest reaction of Forrest Fackrell's life.
And he still labels it a pleasant memory.
"I'd wish that experience on anyone," he said.
The scene hardly appeared enjoyable for Fackrell at the time, with boos raining down in EnergySolutions Arena. The back story is that Jazz followers were expecting a big man at No. 9, and Hayward generally was not projected that high.
By the end of his rookie season, the swingman would be considered successful — which remains subject to discussion, if you ask me. In any case, such reviews contrasted with the way the pick was disdained during the Jazz's draft party.
So here was Fackrell, innocently absorbing it all.
"I remember that very clearly," said Fackrell, a vice president of Utah State University's Research Foundation. "The instant I announced his name, there was immediate cheering. It lasted for about a half-second. Pretty soon, there were a lot of boos — bandwagon boos."
That's when O'Connor, the Jazz general manager who traditionally announces the pick, felt compelled to take the microphone. "Hey, he got hammered," O'Connor recalled Monday. "I figured if I showed up, I'd get hammered more. That's all part of it."
O'Connor's words that night: "The only thing I hope is in two years, you're not booing."
After one year, Hayward is viewed favorably. That's obviously because of everyone's last impression of him. During the final six games of the season, Hayward scored a career high three times —19 points in a loss at Sacramento, 22 in a road win over the Los Angeles Lakers and 34 as the Jazz beat Denver.
That was rewarding for Fackrell, who's forever linked to Hayward in the minds of his friends. They're known to call him and say, "Your guy played a good game." Fackrell met Hayward during a season-ticket holders' event and established their draft-night connection.
Of course, there was a long stretch during the first two-thirds of the season when Hayward played only a few minutes in games, if he appeared at all. "We were holding our breath a little bit," Fackrell said.
Injuries to Raja Bell and Andrei Kirilenko and the Jazz's fade from playoff contention created more opportunities for Hayward, who responded well. Fans seemed to love him, as opposed to his introductory status.
The day after the season finale, Hayward said, "The atmosphere was great, even though we really didn't have anything to play for."
Neither did Denver, a fact fans eagerly overlooked. In their defense, they were looking for reasons to be happy after a disastrous second half of the season, and Hayward provided some hope. While he ranked only 14th in the coaches' voting for the NBA's All-Rookie Team, nobody drafted in the Jazz's range finished appreciably ahead of him.
That's why O'Connor keeps saying he's willing to be booed again if this year's picks (Nos. 3 and 12) turn out as well as Hayward. Of course, that assumes he actually announces them. Because of his increased workload Thursday, O'Connor is unlikely to deliver the word of the No. 3 selection.
The Jazz have yet to designate a target of the fans' initial reaction. Fackrell is available, having grasped his role in the draft process.
"I'd do it again if they asked me," he said, while clarifying, "I don't have to take any of the responsibility."
Just the credit, in case anybody's offering it.
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