Celtics’ Gordon Hayward will no longer leave the NBA bubble for the birth of his child.
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward, who returned Saturday after missing a month with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, will not leave the league’s Walt Disney World campus to attend his child’s birth, as previously scheduled, according to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols.
“Gordon Hayward was originally supposed to leave the bubble for the birth of his fourth child, but since he just got a bunch of unexpected time with his family due to his injury, he told me the current plan is to stay with the Celtics for as far as they go,” Nichols said in a tweet on Saturday.
Hayward received the injury on August 17 and departed the NBA facility outside Orlando, Florida, to recover. He returned to Florida in early September.
Hayward told reporters in early July that he would leave the bubble to give birth to his fourth kid.
“If and when we’re down there and she has the baby, I’ll definitely be there,” Hayward said of his wife, Robyn.
“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.”
He went on to explain his decision further.
“That’s an easy decision for me. I’ve attended the births of all of my children, and I believe there are more important things in life. So we’ll deal with it as it arises.
“I know the NBA has a protocol for that type of thing, and hopefully I can do the quarantining and testing the appropriate amount of time and then be back with the boys.”
Hayward’s plans changed when he sustained an ankle injury, and he ended up spending time with his family at home.
Hayward, who averages 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, will rejoin a Celtics club that dropped its first two Eastern Conference Finals games to the Miami Heat. Boston led by multiple digits in both games’ second halves but was unable to secure the victory.
Hayward entered the rotation for Game 3 and came off the bench on Saturday.
