Jaxson Hayes was handed a one-game suspension after he seemingly took out the Washington Wizards’ mascot during a pregame routine on December 30. The decision was taken on Wednesday, and the Lakers center was out of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Hayes’s action was considered inappropriate and unprofessional. Now, his former girlfriend, Sofia Jamora’s lawyer, Waukeen McCoy, took the opportunity to criticize the league.
Hayes was in hot water back in 2021, when he was a part of the New Orleans Pelicans’ squad. His girlfriend, Jamora, filed a domestic violence complaint against the now-Lakers center, and when police arrived at his house, he was seen in an altercation with the cops, too, as per footage shared by TMZ Sports.
Afterwards, Jamora sued Hayes in 2022 for violence, and the NBA also decided to investigate the incident that happened in July 2021. Several CCTV footage were released where the 7-foot center was seen in a physical tussle with her girlfriend, including spitting in her direction in one clip. However, the league did not take any action on the investigation, and the lawsuit was later dropped after Sofia Jamora said that it was “settled amicably.”
Now, after Hayes was suspended for shoving the Wizards mascot during the pregame introduction, Jamora’s lawyer, who represented her in the lawsuit, berated the league for not straightening its priorities. Talking to TMZ Sports, he said:
“They gave him a one-game suspension, that’s ridiculous. It’s a public embarrassment to them because it’s their brand. If it’s a woman, they drag their feet.”
McCoy suggested that the NBA only prioritized the matter because Hayes’ actions maligned its image and happened on the court. However, the same was not done earlier during the lawsuit, as Hayes was not punished for his off-court actions.
On the court, Jaxson Hayes’ absence did not hinder the Lakers as the team registered its second consecutive win against the 76ers.
Austin Reaves leads the Lakers to another win in the absence of Jaxson Hayes and Luka Doncic
It was Austin Reaves’ homecoming game at Crypto.com Arena, as the Lakers star looked in rhythm even after missing a month due to a left calf injury. The Lakers were trailing by seven points, four minutes to halftime, when Luka Doncic felt discomfort in his hamstring and limped to the locker room.
While the Lakers have looked lacklustre without Luka on the court, Reaves was ready for a challenge. He launched a barrage of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and scored a total of 35 points and collected six rebounds off the bench, shooting 5-8 from the 3-point line.
Lakers reporter Mike Trudell later informed that Doncic had some soreness in his left leg and did not return to the floor. Fans will wish for his speedy recovery as he is having an MVP-esque season, leading the league in PPG.
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