This veteran is back in America for one last shot at the NBA
After winning the EuroLeague title with Fenerbahce, Nigel Hayes-Davis is to return to the NBA after agreeing a deal with the Phoenix Suns.
After going undrafted in 2017, Nigel Hayes-Davis gave the NBA a shot through 10-day contracts and stints in the G League. But just a year later, he made a pivotal decision to take his talents overseas - a move that has since paid off handsomely.
Hayes-Davis signed with Galatasaray in the summer of 2018 and impressed in the EuroCup, which earned him a spot with Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris Kaunas. Two solid EuroLeague seasons there led to a move to FC Barcelona.
Ironically, his reunion with coach Šarūnas Jasikevičius - his former mentor in Kaunas - didn’t pan out during the 2021-22 season. But the duo found their rhythm again in Istanbul, where Hayes-Davis has spent the last three seasons with Fenerbahçe, establishing himself as arguably the best small forward in the EuroLeague.
And the accolades back it up: EuroLeague champion, Final Four MVP, two-time All-EuroLeague First Team selection, and a jaw-dropping 50-point performance against Alba Berlin.
Success in Europe leads to NBA return
At 6′8″, with a strong frame and a reliable shooting touch, Hayes-Davis began eyeing a return to the NBA as his stock rose in Europe. Last summer, he flirted with the idea, especially after earning a spot on the USA Select Team - the elite training squad that scrimmages against Team USA.
Though he ultimately returned to Turkey, the writing was on the wall after Fenerbahçe’s triumphant run to the EuroLeague title in Abu Dhabi. Now 30, Hayes-Davis is seizing what may be his final big shot at the NBA. On the opening night of free agency, he signed a fully guaranteed one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns.
Contract details haven’t been disclosed, but Hayes-Davis will reportedly pay a $1 million buyout to leave Fenerbahçe, where he was earning $2 million annually. He had one guaranteed year left on his deal, plus a team option through 2027. This past season, he helped the club complete a historic treble - winning the Turkish League, Turkish Cup and EuroLeague.
In the 2024-25 EuroLeague regular season, Hayes-Davis averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a performance index rating of 17.8, while shooting 42.3% from three-point range. With their star forward heading to the NBA, Fenerbahçe will now be in the market for a top-tier replacement as they look to defend their European crown.
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