The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked

62) Gordon Hayward

Former all-star Gordon Hayward had a slow but steady ascension to stardom. Hayward saw his scoring increase each of his first seven seasons in the NBA, all with the Utah Jazz, culminating with him averaging nearly 22 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the 2016–17 season, resulting in him making his first all-star team.

After seven seasons with the Jazz, Hayward left Utah for the Boston Celtics and it looked as though he would be a huge get. Surprisingly, however, that didn't turn out to be the case, with Hayward suffering an ugly injury in the first game of the 2017-18 season. That forced him to miss the remaining 81 games plus the postseason, and while he managed to play all but 10 games the following season, he wasn't the same player, averaging 11.5 points per game.

To his credit, he bounced back slightly, increasing his scoring by six points to 17.5 points per game in his final season in Boston but that doesn't count here. Had it not been for that ankle injury, Hayward might have helped the Celtics more but afterwards he has continued to struggle with injuries. Nevertheless, in 589 games, Hayward posted 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists with an all-star appearance, helping him make the cut.