Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes uses Under Armour basketballs to take stance on amateur athletics

Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes is using Under Armour basketballs to take a firm stance on the state of college athletics.

The Badgers forward, who is known for reciting ridiculously multi-syllabic words in press conferences, used his dislike for Under Armour basketballs to convey his frustration with amateur athletics after practice Thursday. The Badgers were practicing with Under Armour balls because they play Maryland, whose equipment is provided by the Baltimore-based company, this week.

The junior said that he doesn’t like the Under Armour basketball that some teams use because it feels different. Hayes, who is a plaintiff in the Martin Jenkins lawsuit against the NCAA, used the basketball debate to springboard into a statement about amateur athletics.

Court filing: NCAA, conferences say scholarships could be reduced

“It’s definitely different,” Hayes said. “Personally, we don’t like it too much. I don’t like the Under Armour ball whatsoever. But that’s the way this amateur sports league is set up. We’re supposed to be having fun, but all the money is in these basketballs that colleges play with. But it’s an amateur sport, we’re just here for fun. It’s not really that serious. So I guess any ball should be OK.

“Maybe we should have a universal ball like the NBA. You don’t go to the Clippers’ stadium and play with a Nike and then go to Golden State and play with a Rawlings. But in this amateur sport of college, where money isn’t the goal — it’s the student education and experience that you get — we play with a million different basketballs.”

Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes a man of his words � long words

According to Madison.com, Wisconsin is set to enter into a 10-year agreement with Under Armour beginning this summer.

The 6-8 junior is averaging 17.3 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game for coach Greg Gard’s Wisconsin team.