Source: Ottawa Sports Info / Photo credit Michael P. Hall
OTTAWA - Things can be a whirlwind in Las Vegas. Less than 48 hours after touching down in the Nevada desert, Warren Ward was the talk of the Canadian basketball community.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.com was in the gym for Ward’s first workout at the Impact Basketball training centre. With his tweet - “Canadian wing Warren Ward is absolutely killing guys in five on five... other players really impressed” – Kyler unleashed a storm of interest around the surprise Canadian.
He’s being hailed as a role-model for CIS ballers, but that was only the first day of what Ward hopes will be an extended journey of impressing basketball experts south of the border. He signed up for four weeks of training at Impact, an impressive facility with a pedigree for training NBA players.
“The opportunity came up about two weeks after the season ended, we spoke about it but I was not set on anything,” explains Ward. “I was supposed to be going to Myrtle Beach but I was told this may be better for my career and my vacation can wait ... I guess they were right. I packed my bags end of April.”
“I decided to come here because of the competition and exposure I would get. The facility and the basketball culture is top notch and many other pros swear by it. Everyone that I've spoken to that has come here believes in this facility and from my experience in a few days, I can see why.”
Impact tweeted out a photo of Warren passing off to Marcus Fizer, the fourth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft and six-year league veteran, in a scrimmage. “I wanted to see where I matched up against NBA draft picks and players that are in the league; that doesn't happen every day. I had to come.”
Fizer is just one of the dozens of NBA players Impact has trained through the years. John Wall, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Garnett, and Chauncey Billups are also featured on the lengthy list of alumni.
“When I walked in the first thing I noticed was the banners of all the players that had been in attendance at Impact,” says Ward of his first day in the gym. “Then the players - it took me a while to realize some of the people I'm standing next to - most of them are out of my tax bracket. Some of them I've looked up to.”
Just three days later, Warren is not feeling the whirlwind of Vegas any more – if he ever did. “Now it's like a regular day, it doesn't faze me and my performances have increased my confidence.”
While Warren trains in Las Vegas, geegees.ca will have a weekly update on his progress and plans.