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Nigel Hayes-Davis is part of Bucks trade. His path back to NBA is unique.
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- Nigel Hayes-Davis is part of Bucks trade. His path back to NBA is unique.
The basketball comeback story of Nigel Hayes-Davis keeps getting more interesting.
The former University of Wisconsin standout , who made his return to the NBA after several seasons overseas, was part of the Milwaukee Bucks ' return in a trade with the Phoenix Suns that shipped out Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony.
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Unfortunately for Hayes-Davis, the Bucks immediately waived him.
Fans in Wisconsin are most familiar with Hayes-Davis from his time with the Badgers from 2013-17 when he was known strictly as Nigel Hayes. He added "Davis" to his surname in 2021 as a tribute to his stepfather, Albert Davis.
Hayes-Davis scored 1,857 points over his four seasons with UW, making 112 starts. In his first two seasons as a complementary player, the Badgers reached the Final Four. As a junior and senior, he led UW to the Sweet 16. He was a fan favorite, especially for his entertaining press conferences during NCAA tournament runs in which he would try to vex the stenographers.
The 6-foot-8 forward got a look in the NBA in the 2017-18 season , playing in nine games with three teams.
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Hayes-Davis became a star in Europe, especially with Fenerbahce in the Turkish League . In May 2025, he led Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague championship, earning Final Four MVP. In 2024, he and another former UW player, Micah Potter , helped prepare Team USA for the Paris Olympics .
Those successes led Hayes-Davis to getting another look in the NBA. As a 30-year-old, he signed a one-year contract in the Suns in July.
Davis, who turned 31 in December, has appeared in 27 games and averaged 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Wisconsin star Nigel Hayes-Davis is part of Bucks-Suns trade
