Evan Haywood goes from unknown to Butler commit: 'A lot has happened in the past 60 days'

Even when Evan Haywood did not have a lot going on in his recruitment, he believed in himself.  But the path that led the Brebeuf Jesuit senior guard from zero Division I offers to his commitment Friday to Butler was even a bit unexpected for him.

“A lot has happened in the past 60 days,” Haywood said. “I feel like my discipline and staying focused even when nothing was happening kind of led me to this point. I wouldn’t have guessed that I would have gone on to play (at Butler).”

Haywood’s recruiting stock took off like a rocket this spring and summer, leading to low-major Division I interest, then offers. Mid-majors and high-majors also took notice of the sweet-shooting 6-4 guard, who picked Butler over offers (all since June) from Appalachian State, Eastern Illinois, IUPUI, LeMoyne, Miami of Ohio, Middle Tennessee, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Southern Indiana and Vermont.

Butler offered Haywood early last week after he visited campus. He's Butler's first commit in the 2024 class.

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“They came to a couple Charlie Hughes (Shootout) games, then I didn’t hear from them for a while,” Haywood said. “Then when I was in Rock Hill (South Carolina in July for the 3SSB Adidas Circuit tournament), I saw Thad Matta sitting there at one of my games. It was definitely good for me. I played really well and then for a couple weeks they were trying to get me on campus.”

Haywood, who averaged 14.3 points as a junior for Brebeuf and shot 37.1% from the 3-point line, credited his father, Lan Haywood, “for believing in me even when I was horrible.” While that may slightly be understating his talent level, he said having a strong support group helped keep him on track.

“It’s kind of cliché, but I’d tell people just keep working,” Haywood said. “My dad always believed in me when no one else would. He kept me on track with training and practicing. I’d tell people to stay focused and don’t compare yourself to others. Run your race.”

Brebeuf coach Allen Glunt said last month Haywood’s confidence and maturity led to his uptick from the end of his junior season to the summer.

“To me, it’s the combination that his confidence is through the roof, but he’s also determined to get it done,” Glunt said. “With him it’s been like, ‘This is what I’m going to do’ and he’s making it a reality. A lot of dudes say that. He’s a little bit of a late bloomer physically, which has helped, and his athleticism has really popped in the weight room. He’s playing a little looser, and I think he’s still kind of figuring out what he can do.”

Haywood has a connection to Butler and coach Thad Matta. His uncle, Rodney Haywood, was a former football and basketball star in high school at Harding in Fort Wayne. He started out as a football player at Western Michigan, but transferred to Butler to play basketball and voted as the captain of the team with Matta and senior Jody Littrell.

Haywood said that family connection is more coincidence than anything.

“My uncle didn’t really factor into the decision,” he said. “It just kind of happened.”

Butler will likely want to play to Haywood’s strengths as an outside shooter, though conversations and about roles and style of play are obviously in the future.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “I’m trying to get the best out of myself to help the team, whatever that is.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball recruiting: Evan Haywood commits to 2024 class