Tiffany Hayes retiring

[Geew1992]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I always felt her nickname should have been Zoom! Prosper in your next thing Tiffany.

 

[EricLA]

Wow. Sort of thought she was one of those athletes who would just play forever - and she's "only" 34. She still has a great "game" - in 11 years in the W, she averaged double figures in scoring every season save her rookie year (8.6 PPG). in 2023 she averaged over 12 PPG and over 36% from 3.

Wishing her the best of luck on her future endeavors. Looking forward to seeing what she does next!

 

[darrell]

Looks like she’ll still be playing Basketball, just no longer in the WNBA.

 

[Dillon77]

Two quotes from Tiffany in The Athletic:

“It’s a lot of things. I really feel like I’m older now. I got a lot of stuff that I really always want to get into but I’m so busy ’cause I’m playing year-round,” Hayes said. “Plus, my body, playing 11 seasons straight with no breaks, every year, two seasons in a year every time, that’s a lot.”
and
“You could still catch me overseas,” she said. “I just figured I’d focus on one thing and then summer time I could turn up my business. I could turn up life with my family and just live life like that.

“I don’t want to play two seasons anymore,” she said. “I’m really at a crossroads right now. Which one do I play?”

My druthers:
Hayes is playing in China now. Think she'll look for a possible international locale to play if the price is still right, while looking for other next stages.

Really fine WNBA career. Best of luck to her.

 

[Waquoit]

Looks like she’ll still be playing Basketball, just no longer in the WNBA

I was going to say. She did a great job for the Sun this year, they're going to miss her. She seems like she has plenty left in the tank.

 

[UcMiami]

With the penalty for overseas pay, I doubt Tiffany will be the only WNBA player opting out of playing. It is a longer season overseas, the pay is better, and then you get the summer off to recover. Competing 12 months a year is OK if you are both healthy and young. But what might be fun and 22, can be draining at 32 and shorten the actual years you can compete.

Gabby is likely headed in this direction as well, and fewer foreign players will be coming into the WNBA as well, or opting for shorter careers in the W.

I understand why the new contract wanted to keep players in the US, but it also has consequences. I remember the fallout when Diana chose her European team that one year, but I don't blame her at all.

 

[Bigboote]

She retired after a good season back in Connecticut. I'll miss her, but I like the way she went out.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

With the penalty for overseas pay, I doubt Tiffany will be the only WNBA player opting out of playing. It is a longer season overseas, the pay is better, and then you get the summer off to recover. Competing 12 months a year is OK if you are both healthy and young. But what might be fun and 22, can be draining at 32 and shorten the actual years you can compete.

Gabby is likely headed in this direction as well, and fewer foreign players will be coming into the WNBA as well, or opting for shorter careers in the W.

I understand why the new contract wanted to keep players in the US, but it also has consequences. I remember the fallout when Diana chose her European team that one year, but I don't blame her at all.

I see the W's point for sure and recognize players will have to make a decision.

For better or worse the player's association agreed to this prioritization rule. It will be interesting how this plays out. I will give the league credit for getting the salaries up but now travel conditions should be addressed.

 

[hoopsdiva]

Gabby is likely headed in this direction as well, and fewer foreign players will be coming into the WNBA as well, or opting for shorter careers in the W.

Gabby is a different situation because she is French.

Gabby Williams : « Mon vrai statut, c’est celui d’une Française née à l’étranger »

 

[Florida Fan]

Wow. Sort of thought she was one of those athletes who would just play forever - and she's "only" 34. She still has a great "game" - in 11 years in the W, she averaged double figures in scoring every season save her rookie year (8.6 PPG). in 2023 she averaged over 12 PPG and over 36% from 3.

Wishing her the best of luck on her future endeavors. Looking forward to seeing what she does next!

Big guard warrior I always rooted for. Quick to the rim and avoided the big injury.

 

[Bald Husky]

NO,NO,NO...The Sun need her. Crap!!!!

 

[David54]

The most underrated Husky.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[Forego]

My favorite remembrance of Tiffany Hayes is the game against Louisville when Jeff Walz decided not to guard her opting to double team Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery. Walz said something along the lines of he was giving Tiffany the opportunity to be the Big East freshman of the week. Tiffany scored 23 points including multiple threes and was named freshman of the week.

 

[my2cents]

OP headline is wrong. She is not retiring, she is leaving the WNBA.

 

[Rowdy831]

The WNBA is like the NBA was in the 70's, they have fans but they don't have enthusiasm for the game that attracts broader appeal. With that said I do think the WNBA needs their Larry Bird and Magic Johnson to push the league to the next level and I think Caitlin Clark and Paige might be the players to make that happen. Until they get these transcending players they simply don't have the resources to pay the ladies enough to prevent them from looking elsewhere.