12 of Rutgers basketballthThe addition, and possibly final, to their 2024-25 roster is a shooter on a meteoric rise through the college ranks.
PJ Hayes, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound transfer wing from San Diego, signed with the Scarlet Knights for his fifth season.
“We are adding another great student-athlete, from a great family, who can really shoot the basketball,” said coach Steve Pikiell. “PJ is a player who has demonstrated the ability to hit nine three-pointers in a game and he can actually surpass them. I love the basketball journey he has been on and am proud to add another elite student-athlete to our program. “
Here are three things to know about Hayes, who is the program’s fourth transfer commitment this spring.
1. He Played Three Years of Division 2 Ball
Hayes was born at Waconia High School in Minnesota, where he scored nearly 2,000 points and played goalie on the football team. His first three collegiate seasons came at Division 2 Black Hills State University in South Dakota. There, he averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 42.8% from 3-point range. He helped the Yellow Jackets reach the Division 2 Final Four twice.
Side note: Hayes also plays piano and ukulele.
2. He made a good transition to Division 1
In one season in San Diego, Hayes averaged 10.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 25 minutes while shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range and .791 from the free throw line. He was clearly drafted as a 3-point specialist, with an impressive 75% of his shot attempts coming from beyond the arc.
San Diego finished 18-15 overall and 7-9 in the West Coast Conference. Hayes’ most notable game was a 23-point, six-rebound effort in a win over Arizona State (he shot 5-of-12 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line). In two games against Gonzaga, he averaged 10.5 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 3-of-13 from distance.
3. It fills a need
Pikiell stated that the priorities when attacking the transfer portal this spring were experience and shooting. Here’s how your four imports stack up:
Fifth-year wing PJ Hayes hit .397 from deep and .791 in 2023-24
Zach Martini, fifth-year forward (.385, .833)
Fifth-year guard Tyson Acuff (.292, .811).
Jordan Derkack, rising junior guard (.275, .724)
So Pikiell clearly checked the boxes for free throw shooting and experience, but you can see the need to bring in Hayes from a 3-point shooting perspective. Deep threats are valuable in the portal; Rutgers previously tried to land Long Beach all-state guard Jadon Jones (.377, .852), but lost to Oklahoma.
Rutgers 2024-25 Roster Projection
Here is a rough depth chart with an open bag, which may or may not be filled. If that happens, it’s more likely to be a high school or overseas big man than the transfer portal.
Guards (5): Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Williams, Jordan Derkack, Tyson Acuff, Jamichael Davis
Wings (2): Ace Bailey, PJ Hayes
Large (5): Zach Martini, Lathan Sommerville, Emmanuel Ogbole, Dylan Grant, Bryce Dortch
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and college basketball since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 Voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared in the Asbury Park Press: Rutgers Basketball Adds San Diego Transfer Wing P.J. Hayes
