Hayden Jones shifts gears to better impact the Wisconsin Badgers program

MADISON, Wis. - Hayden Jones made the type of shot he was about to attempt countless times.

Playing in the Australian NBL, for the New Zealand Under-19s at the 2025 U19 FIBA World Cup, and other international squads, the 6-6 guard could trust himself to get in the lane and use his natural skill to create offense.

So, the fact that he got blocked was the recognition that the athleticism and length of college players is a vast increase from the international level he'd become accustomed to.

"I realized in college that you have to play off two feet," Jones said. "I've been working on when I get to two feet (to) pump fake and get guys in the air so I can get to the free throw line or find other guys."

Got it done today at the Kohl Center

Highlights from the 96-87 win over Rutgers ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/P0ZMmTY4r3
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 18, 2026

Jones is going through the process like most college freshmen, which has resulted in sporadic play. His abilities earned him a spot at the tail end of Wisconsin's 10-man rotation at the beginning of the year, but he has seen his role shrink over the last three games.

After not playing at No.2 Michigan or Minnesota, Jones didn't check in until 36 seconds remained in Saturday's win over Rutgers. It's a result of head coach Greg Gard shrinking the rotation to get more experience on the floor, especially in crunch time.

Entering Thursday's road game at Penn State, Jones is averaging 3.4 minutes and 0.8 points in Big Ten play.

"Coming into a new environment, it's been kind of tough," Jones said, "but I am capable of playing at high levels."

Jones labels the basketball he's seen this season as "a gear shift." The offense isn't anything he hasn't done before. He came from a New Zealand team that ran a similar free-flowing offensive system that didn't shy away from taking open three-pointers.

Jones's ability to thrive in pressure environments was one of the things that attracted former Wisconsin special assistant Kirk Penney to him. It didn't hurt that Penney and Jones are native New Zealanders, but Jones averaged in double figures during international competition at the U-19, U-17, and U-16 levels.

Those roles were from a starting spot, which Jones admitted led him to try to go too fast coming off the bench to make an immediate impact. In Wisconsin's first true test against BYU, Jones committed a turnover eight seconds after checking into the game.

He did the same thing nearly a month later, running into a horde of Villanova defenders and turning the ball over 12 seconds after checking in.

Imagine his surprise when Jones was told shortly before tip off that starting guard John Blackwell would miss the game due to injury, and he would be starting in his place.

He was in his element, logging a season-high 23 minutes and scoring six points, grabbing four rebounds, and committing just two turnovers in an 88-61 win over Central Michigan.

"When I get in my own head, it's a problem," said Jones, who had a collegiate-high eight points in UW's next game against Milwaukee. "I was able to block out the noise and my own thoughts. It's something that helps me. I've been trying to work on that and carry that into the game and playing freely, playing basketball."

Jones is part of a growing contingent of young guards Wisconsin has added to its program. Classmate Zach Kinziger made his season debut against Central Michigan and has been providing situational minutes. UW also signed 6-foot-4 guards LaTrevion Fenderson and Jackson Ball during the early signing period.

Fenderson is the top-ranked player out of Wisconsin, according to 247Sports.com, while Ball played with Jones at the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup this past summer. Both players are expected to join UW for next season.

It's a sign of the direction the Badgers ultimately want to go with their offense while still incorporating the things Jones is looking to perfect: shooting, rebounding, and defending.

"All I care about is winning, and I'm going to try to make the winning play every time," Jones said. "Whether that's me scoring or passing or defending, I'm going to try to do whatever I can to help the team win. I don't want personal goals, just team goals."

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