Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - March 27, 2014

Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.

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33 just works for us." "The way we interact with each other off the court has definitely led to better chemistry on the court," said Dukan. "It doesn't matter who's on the floor, we play well together." "We all get along with each other," said Brust, UW's career record-holder for 3-point baskets, "and everybody cares about each other and that's the cool thing about it all." Hayes and Dekker have been catalysts ― each in their own light-hearted, free-spirited way. "I've been the same guy since day one and I think the guys have adjusted to it," Hayes said of his pen- chant to keep things light. "At first, I think they would all say it was pretty annoying." Brust, for one, was caught off-guard. "When he got here, he was talk- ing and making jokes right away," said Brust. "I was like, 'Whoa, that's a strong personality.' But when you get to know him, it's fun. "He brings looseness to the team. He's a character. You've seen his Nigel Burgundy? He's pretty good, isn't he? He's a natural. I'd like to see them go head-to-head, Nigel and Dan Fahey." Fahey, now in Marquette's law school, was previously cast in the Anchorman role. Fahey was an up- perclassman when he conducted the off-beat locker room interviews dur- ing UW's last two NCAA runs. That the Ron Burgundy reins have been handed off, or taken, by a freshman speaks to Hayes' acceptance and confidence. Quizzed on his assertiveness if not quirkiness, Hayes said, "I've always been that way. I think it's pretty good for me to be like that. Not a lot of people I would say are like this. But when I go into a room, I try to bright- en and lighten the mood and cheer everyone up; that type of thing." So how would Hayes describe his own personal- ity? "I would just say entertaining," he proposed. "It depends on what it could be ― it could be a funny entertaining, it could be a corny entertaining, it could be a serious one. It just depends on what I feel like bringing to the table that day." Junior center Frank Kaminsky, who has com- bined with Hayes to give the Badgers a produc- tive one-two punch in the frontcourt, had his own thoughts on Hayes' per- sona. "It's different than what I've seen before," he said. "He's always joking around; he's got all of these cliché sayings, witty sayings." You might say that Hayes is truly Burgundyesque. "That's definitely right," Kaminsky confirmed. When Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan reminded him "I FEEL ONCE YOU KNOW SOMEONE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL OUTSIDE OF THE X'S AND O'S OF BASKETBALL, YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE A CONNECTION THAT CAN CARRY OVER TO THE COURT," HAYES SAID.

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