NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward recently entered the Catholic Church in Rome on the Feast of Saint Thérèse and returned this year to speak at the Jubilee of Sport Conference, where he met Pope Leo XIV.
Gordon Hayward is a professional athlete whose journey has taken him from the national spotlight of the NCAA Finals to the global stage of Catholic evangelization.
Born and raised in Indianapolis, Hayward led Butler University to the NCAA Championship Game in 2010 before launching a 14-season NBA career with the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and the 2025 NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Standing 6-foot-8, Hayward was known for his competitive drive, leadership, and versatility on the court—but it’s his off-court transformation that now defines his life’s mission.
In 2024, Hayward entered the Catholic Church in Rome on the Feast of Saint Thérèse, marking a profound conversion that reoriented his priorities and purpose. He returned to Rome the following year to speak at the Vatican’s Jubilee of Sport Conference, where he had the honor of meeting Pope Leo XIV.
Today, as a husband and father of five, Hayward offers compelling testimony on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the challenges and grace of conversion, and the influence of athletics in forming (or deforming) character. His unique witness bridges the world of elite sports with the timeless truths of the Catholic faith, inspiring audiences of all ages to pursue virtue both on and off the field.
A husband and father of five, he speaks with conviction on conversion, the Eucharist, and the power of sports to shape virtue.
