Butler University is bringing one of its most iconic figures back into the fold, naming retired NBA star and Butler Athletics Hall of Famer Gordon Hayward as an executive basketball advisor.
The university announced on Oct. 13 that Hayward will volunteer his time in an advisory capacity, working directly with head coach Thad Matta, General Manager Tony Bollier and Athletic Director Grant Leiendecker on initiatives for the Bulldog men’s basketball program.
Hayward, who concluded a 14-year NBA career in 2024, will leverage his extensive professional experience to advise the program on talent evaluation, recruitment, player development and cultivating a winning team culture. A central component of his role will be mentoring current student-athletes, focusing on leadership and professional development.
The appointment significantly strengthens the bridge between Butler’s celebrated past and its ambitious future.
“We are thrilled to formally engage Gordon with Butler basketball in this new role,” Leiendecker said. “Gordon’s 14-year NBA career speaks for itself — he’s competed against the best players in the world at the highest level of the game, learned from some of the best minds in basketball, and experienced what it takes to succeed as a professional.”
Leiendecker, who played with Hayward during his two seasons with Butler, emphasized his unique value.
“That wealth of knowledge, combined with his deep connection to Butler, makes him uniquely positioned to have an immediate and meaningful impact on our program,” Leiendecker said. “His leadership, insight, and passion for this place will be invaluable as we continue to build the future of Butler Basketball.”
For Hayward, the position is an opportunity to give back to the school that launched his career.
“There were a lot of people who were instrumental in my development on and off the court during my time at Butler, and I’m excited to give back to the program by helping today’s Bulldogs in a similar way,” Hayward said. “I look forward to building relationships with the staff and our current and future Bulldogs in order to positively impact the program that I care deeply about.”
Hayward’s legacy at Butler is the stuff of legend, albeit a brief tenure. In just two seasons from 2008 to 2010, he helped catapult the program into the national spotlight. He was the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2010 and was instrumental in the Bulldogs’ Cinderella run to the NCAA national championship game, a contest they narrowly lost to Duke. His last-second half-court shot that rimmed out at the buzzer remains one of the most memorable (and ‘what if?’) moments in tournament history.
His performance earned him the Most Outstanding Player award at the NCAA West Regional and a spot on the Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.
Head coach Thad Matta, now steering the program through the evolving landscape of college athletics, placed Hayward’s return in the highest possible terms.
“Gordon is on a very short list of the individuals who have meant the most to Butler University over the years,” Matta said. “It’s been incredible to have him and his family around the program more over the last few years, and I’m excited he’s taking on this role and helping us to shape the impact he can have on all aspects of our program. Any time you can deepen the relationship with one of the greatest ever to wear the uniform, it’s a huge win for your program.”
The advisory role comes at a pivotal time for Matta’s Bulldogs. The team is coming off an appearance in the inaugural College Basketball Crown and is integrating a significant roster overhaul. Five impact transfers — Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Yame Butler (Drexel), Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne), Drayton Jones (South Carolina State) and Yohan Traore (SMU) — joined the program.
They will mix with key returners like Finley Bizjack, who averaged 10.3 points per game last season, Jamie Kaiser Jr., who is returning from an ankle injury and Evan Haywood, who started both College Basketball Crown games.
The Bulldogs will open their 2025-26 season with an exhibition game against Notre Dame on Oct. 17 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
For tickets, visit butlersports.com/buytickets.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on social media @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more sports from the Indianapolis Recorder, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
