Wisconsin Basketball Player Nigel Hayes Has Embarrassing Moment at Press Conference

A NCAA basketball star held court on Wednesday - but not for his ball handling skills.

Nigel Hayes, 20, a sophomore forward for the Wisconsin Badgers, confidentially sat down to attend a televised press conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with two fellow players.

But failing to realize the microphone was still running, the 6ft 7in sportsman loudly whispered to his teammate 'God she's beautiful' after spotting a female reporter in the crowd.

As the audience started to snigger, Hayes quickly realized he'd been heard.

'Did you hear that?' he quipped to the crowd before cradling his head in his hands.

'Alright we'll open it up to questions!' the announcer then said through laughter, in a bid to move things on.

Many viewers have been trying to identify the woman who caught Hayes' eye.

One suggested it was a brunette stenographer from ASAP Sports.

It appears the blunder has expanded Hayes' burgeoning fanbase.

Many commenters have deemed his slip-up 'cute' and 'endearing'.

Hayes, who grew up in Toledo, Ohio, has caused quite a raucous on the microphone recently, testing stenographers with trick words such as 'cattywampus', 'antidisestablishmentarianism' and 'soliloquy'.

On Wednesday before his error, he served up the word 'syzygy' for good measure. 

Hayes and the rest of the Badgers will go head-to-head with the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday night.