Luka Dončić lit up the stat sheet Monday night with a 46-point, 12-assist, seven-rebound performance against the Chicago Bulls - the kind of night that usually dominates the headlines. But in a game full of highlights, it was Lakers center Jaxson Hayes who stole a slice of the spotlight with one of the most audacious dunks we’ve seen this season.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Lakers already in control, Hayes took flight and pulled off a between-the-legs dunk that had the entire arena buzzing. It wasn’t just a flashy exclamation point - it was a reminder of the kind of athleticism that makes Hayes such a unique presence in the paint.
And here’s the thing: he almost didn’t pull it off.
“I thought I was about to get hung by the rim so bad,” Hayes admitted after the game. “I thought I was about to get yanked out of the game right away.”
You could understand the concern. A between-the-legs dunk in live game action - especially from a 6-foot-11 center - isn’t exactly standard operating procedure.
It’s the kind of move that lives on social media highlight reels but can earn you a quick seat on the bench if it goes wrong. Hayes knew the risk, but he also trusted his bounce.
That trust paid off.
Hayes has always been one of the more explosive bigs in the league. His ability to get off the floor quickly and cover ground in a single leap makes him a constant lob threat and a problem for rim protectors. But this dunk was a different level - not just a display of verticality, but of coordination, timing, and pure audacity.
Even Dončić, who was in the middle of a masterclass himself, looked a little stunned when it happened. And when you’ve got a guy like Dončić raising his eyebrows mid-game, you know you’ve done something special.
Head coach JJ Redick might’ve had a moment of panic as the play unfolded - coaches aren’t typically fans of high-risk, low-percentage moves when a game is still technically in play - but once the ball went through the hoop, all was forgiven. It’s the kind of moment that energizes a bench, fires up a crowd, and reminds everyone that basketball is supposed to be fun.
Will Hayes try it again? Maybe.
Maybe not. He admitted he thought twice about it mid-air, and that hesitation might creep in next time.
But for now, all that matters is he made it. And in a game where Dončić delivered a performance worthy of the spotlight, Hayes still found a way to carve out his own viral moment.
It was a night of stars doing star things - and one big man flying just a little closer to the sun.