Originally published by LakersNation.com
Jaxson Hayes has had himself a solid 2025-26 season coming off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, but recently he’s been in headlines for the wrong reasons.
Hayes recently received a one-game suspension after he shoved the Washington Wizards mascot during the Lakers’ road trip. He later apologized to the Wizards mascot and explained he was upset after getting his foot stepped on during warm ups.
Hayes wasn’t needed in the next game as the Lakers managed to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, but the team can ill afford to have players miss games when they’re right in the thick of the Western Conference standings.
While it was good to see Hayes take accountability for his actions, it did cause an unnecessary distraction for him and the team. Now, the situation seems to be evolving further as Washington’s mascot has hired a lawyer for potential legal action against Hayes, via TMZ:
Nearly two weeks after Lakers forward Jaxson Hayes shoved Washington Wizards mascot G-Wiz during pregame introductions … TMZ Sports has learned that the person behind the mask has lawyered up — and has selected the attorney that represented Sofia Jamora in her domestic violence lawsuit against Hayes.
Waukeen McCoy told us that he is now representing the person Hayes decked when the Lakers were in town for a showdown with Washington on January 30.
“We will give them the opportunity to resolve the matter before taking legal action,” McCoy said. “But legal action is anticipated.”
He also said other parties could be involved.
When asked about any injuries the person sustained … McCoy said, “All I want to say at the moment is that he was injured.”
The Wizards mascot hiring a lawyer does not mean Hayes has been charged with anything, though the TMZ report seems to indicate that their side is anticipating some legal action. More details are sure to come in the following weeks, so for now Hayes and the Lakers will need to wait and see what next steps look like.
While this situation could have easily been avoided, the big man seems to at least learned a lesson after he admitted he could have handled things better.
JJ Redick wants Jaxson Hayes to use suspension as learning opportunity
Head coach JJ Redick has always stood behind his players and he had Jaxson Hayes’ back following the suspension. Redick acknowledged Hayes took ownership of his actions and said he hoped the Lakers center could use the incident as a learning opportunity.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
Jaxson Hayes has had himself a solid 2025-26 season coming off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, but recently he’s been in headlines for the wrong reasons.
Hayes recently received a one-game suspension after he shoved the Washington Wizards mascot during the Lakers’ road trip. He later apologized to the Wizards mascot and explained he was upset after getting his foot stepped on during warm ups.
Hayes wasn’t needed in the next game as the Lakers managed to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, but the team can ill afford to have players miss games when they’re right in the thick of the Western Conference standings.
While it was good to see Hayes take accountability for his actions, it did cause an unnecessary distraction for him and the team. Now, the situation seems to be evolving further as Washington’s mascot has hired a lawyer for potential legal action against Hayes, via TMZ:
Nearly two weeks after Lakers forward Jaxson Hayes shoved Washington Wizards mascot G-Wiz during pregame introductions … TMZ Sports has learned that the person behind the mask has lawyered up — and has selected the attorney that represented Sofia Jamora in her domestic violence lawsuit against Hayes.
Waukeen McCoy told us that he is now representing the person Hayes decked when the Lakers were in town for a showdown with Washington on January 30.
“We will give them the opportunity to resolve the matter before taking legal action,” McCoy said. “But legal action is anticipated.”
He also said other parties could be involved.
When asked about any injuries the person sustained … McCoy said, “All I want to say at the moment is that he was injured.”
The Wizards mascot hiring a lawyer does not mean Hayes has been charged with anything, though the TMZ report seems to indicate that their side is anticipating some legal action. More details are sure to come in the following weeks, so for now Hayes and the Lakers will need to wait and see what next steps look like.
While this situation could have easily been avoided, the big man seems to at least learned a lesson after he admitted he could have handled things better.
JJ Redick wants Jaxson Hayes to use suspension as learning opportunity
Head coach JJ Redick has always stood behind his players and he had Jaxson Hayes’ back following the suspension. Redick acknowledged Hayes took ownership of his actions and said he hoped the Lakers center could use the incident as a learning opportunity.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.