Four-star forward Ward recaps recent unofficial visit to Virginia
Last week, four-star forward Cam Ward took an unofficial visit to Virginia and the 6-foot-6 Maryland product came away even more interested in what he’s been hearing from the Hoos.
Currently ranked No. 79 overall in the class of 2025, Ward has been hearing a lot from both Tony Bennett and associate head coach Ron Sanchez, who saw him play twice this past weekend during the June Scholastic Live Period.
Ward has been having a tremendous summer with both Team Durant and his high school team, Largo. Before this weekend, Bennett watched him the previous weekend as well.
“The summer has been great,” Ward told CavsCorner. “I have made a lot of strides from last year to this year and my whole game has changed with me being on the wing and playing more on the perimeter but also still not being afraid to take on guys down low.”
The visit to UVa came after Bennett watched him the previous weekend during the June Live Period and it was one he really enjoyed.
“Coach Bennett is a mastermind when it comes to Xs and Os,” he explained. “I never really understood it until I watched him. They play crazy defense and they sit there and defend for all 30 seconds on the shot clock. I really enjoyed learning more about the offense too. It is not really complicated but it works. Overall I really enjoyed talking to Coach Bennett and learning how he could see me in the Virginia program.”
In those conversations, Bennett outlined for Ward how he could see the Largo standout being used in the schemes.
“Coach Bennett was just telling me how they would put me in my own little space and have my own little space to work around in the offense but then on defense play the same type of team defense they play,” Ward said. “Coach Bennett was telling me since I am so versatile, that they would not just play me at one position but instead put me in multiple positions on offense to do different things so hearing that was great because that is something I truly want to do. He sees me playing like a DeAndre Hunter so hearing that was great because obviously Hunter is in the league now.”
Hunter, of course, is just one of many former Bennett players in the NBA and during his visit, Ward learned about all of the other former Wahoos now in the league.
“I truthfully did not know they had that many guys in the league,” he said. “I think they are right near the top for most active players in the league so I really did learn that Coach Bennett produces pros even though so many people say UVa only plays defense and they don’t score a lot of points.
“One of the most important things is that Coach Bennett gets players in the league so all of that they talk really does not matter,” Ward added. “I also really enjoyed learning about his dad being his coach too at Green Bay. I learned a lot of stuff outside of basketball which was great.”
UVa isn’t the only school he’s checked out recently. Right before Ward’s visit to Charlottesvlle, he took an official visit to Marquette.
“It was a great visit, amazing honestly,” he said. “Coach (Shaka) Smart is a high energy guy and overall a great coach and I saw a lot of things that I liked. I could definitely see myself playing in that system.”
At this point, a college decision does not seem to be coming anytime soon from Ward as he says he wants to announce later in the year.
“I am going to make my college announcement in December,” he told CavsCorner. “The plan is to announce mid-December so everything is done going into the new year.”
