BOSTON – A lot has happened to Washington Wizards rookie Jarvis Hayes over the past four months. Unfortunately, not much of it happened on the basketball court.

In March, Hayes was on top of the college basketball world. Georgia’s 6-foot-7 junior forward was second in the SEC in scoring with 18.3 points per game, and leading a Bulldogs team that seemed to have a legitimate shot at a national championship.

But a well-publicized scandal over charges of academic fraud within the Georgia program cost Hayes and his teammates a spot in both the SEC and NCAA tournaments and cost coach Jim Harrick and his son, assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr., their jobs.

Hayes had been pondering a jump to the NBA, and the scandal made the decision an easy one. Selected 10th overall by Washington, Hayes is in Boston this week to play in the Reebok Summer League, and says he couldn’t be happier.

“The one great thing here is that there’s no academic scandal going on, or nothing going on school-related or with the university,” Hayes said. “I’m just playing basketball, and that’s a big relief. I haven’t had that in a while.”

In two exhibition games – both Washington losses – Hayes has been the team’s most consistent player. He leads the team in scoring with 15.5 points per game. He scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 70-59 loss to New York on Tuesday. He also showed his athleticism when he dunked over 6-foot-11 Knicks draft pick Maciej Lampe on an alley-oop pass late in the fourth quarter.

After last season’s 37-45 campaign and the subsequent retirement of Michael Jordan, the Wizards need all the help they can get.

“I think I fell into a good team and a good slot,” Hayes said. “I think its a great situation. We all young, we’re learning about each other and we all want to win.”

AP-ES-07-15-03 1724EDT