Barbadian power forward to suit up in NBA Summer League

his weekend marks an important new chapter in the career of rising Barbadian basketball star Hason Ward. The 23-year-old forward is expected to play in his first game for the Sacramento Kings after recently signing on to the franchise for the NBA California Classic Summer League.

His first game, set to be aired on ESPN, will be on Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring rookie LeBron James Jr, at the Chase Center, in San Francisco, California. Over the course of four days, his team will also go up against the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.

The 6’9″ forward, who hails from St. Thomas, Barbados, is a recent graduate of Iowa State University.

He will remain with the team for the upcoming NBA2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas. The NBA2K25 Summer League, takes place 12-22 July at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Prior to the recent NBA Draft, Ward had worked out for several teams. After showcasing his talents to team executives in Cleveland, Memphis, and Toronto, he held his fourth and final visit with the New York Knicks.

It feels like a long way from Lester Vaughan Secondary School, and that’s because it already has been quite the trip for this young man. In 2015, he visited Massachusetts with his father. High school coach Darryl Denson recruited the then 14-year-old, who then flew off to Springfield Central High School in January 2016.

Fast-forward two years, and Ward was on a full scholarship at Virginia Commonwealth University, studying sports medicine. During his time in Massachusetts, he helped the Golden Eagles to the MIAA State Division I Quarterfinals and a pair of Western Massachusetts titles, having once blocked 22 shots in a game as a junior.

Upon transferring to Iowa State, besides switching his major to sociology, Ward helped the Cyclones to a pair of NCAA Tournaments, including a trip to the Sweet 16 this past season. He appeared in 28 games and started the first three games of the year before suffering a foot injury that forced him to miss nine games.

In 51 career games at Iowa State, Ward averaged 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, while blocking 43 shots and tallying 45 steals. He recorded a season-high 13 points against No. 1 Houston in Iowa State’s 69-41 victory over the Cougars in the Big 12 Championship game.

Over his 130 career games played at Iowa State and VCU, Ward averaged 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds, while blocking 162 shots and grabbing 92 steals. he also made the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, and the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team.

Upon graduation, the son of Hayden Ward and Lasontha Sealy took a further step towards realising his goal of playing professionally in the NBA or Europe. The former Cyclone joined the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. He has since seen action in eight games, averaging 5.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. He has twice scored in double figures.

Ward’s most noteworthy attribute is his 7’4″ wingspan, a significant factor in helping him to a 10+ block percentage for his NCAA career. He is described as possessing “elite” shot-blocking ability. On offense, he is a versatile player who can score in the post and on the perimeter.

The journey isn’t at an end for Ward. Having gone undrafted, he will be hoping that he gets the opportunity to truly show what he is made of in San Francisco and Las Vegas, with the possibility of making an NBA roster. Regardless, he will get the opportunity to train and play in a professional system at close to the highest level of the game.

Jersey assignments for the California Classic Summer League have not been made public as of press time. It will be interesting to see whether Ward gets the 24 he’s worn throughout his collegiate career, marking his September birthday, or if he gets No. 20, his mother’s and aunt’s birthday, and the number he wore when he moved to Springfield, what he described as “was a new start to my life.”

(TF)