July has marked a busy month for Maryland basketball with ten practices complete ahead of their international tour, but head coach Kevin Willard and the staff have also leveraged the court time to bring in its local targets and last week was no different. One day after Sidwell (DC) guard Acaden Lewis made his way to campus, 2025 Largo (MD) four-star forward Cam Ward made his first trip to College Park since October on a visit that left a lasting impression.
“They just showed me the dorms, they showed what the new facility would look like. I saw the new locker room, a lot of new things I hadn’t seen before. The first time I really watched them practice and overall, how they do it,” Ward told IBG. “This time I did a tour, saw the football stadium. More about what was in the school and I was definitely happy to see that.”
The staff dove into Maryland’s new basketball practice facility, which is currently scheduled to be completed at the start of Ward’s college career, but it ended up being Maryland’s current practice facility that was most impressive. “The football stadium and their facility. That definitely caught my eye.”
Ward also got a chance to watch Maryland’s workout and took note of the team’s energy heading into Willard’s second season. “Just how they ran practice, how high tempo they are, how disciplined they are caught my eye,” he added. “I kind of try to see how they fit if I were to go there. I can definitely see myself in their system, just how they move the ball, how they run up and down. It’s not a lot of walking the ball, slow pace. Everything is fast. I definitely enjoyed watching them practice and then watching to see how I fit.”
Ward’s visit also gave him a chance to reconnect with new assistant Mike Jones, who has an established relationship with the top-75 prospect. “I did know coach [Mike] Jones before he was at Maryland. He recruited me to Virginia Tech and then once he got to Maryland we’ve talked here and there.” After watching Willard in action with the Terps running through drills, the two were able to connect as the staff took the local four-star on a tour inside Xfinity. “I talked to coach just about outside of basketball, how the program is, how Maryland is a family, how they look at each other on and off the court. I just see how everything revolves around family,” Ward added. “How they trust each other like the guys, how they trust each other as a team in general, that’s what I like the most about them.”
Arkansas, Georgetown, Iowa, Kansas State, Providence, Syracuse, Tennessee and Texas have all extended offers but after his latest trip, Ward has Maryland cemented in his top group.
“I would say they’re doing a great job. I’m definitely considering them because everything I saw on the recent visit, it definitely changed my perspective on how I see them. Staying home is something I’d consider as long as it gets me to where I want to be. They’re definitely at the top.”
Ward is planning to unofficially visit Georgetown before scheduling official visits this fall, and while he’s mapping out which schools he wants to check out, he already knows Maryland is on his shortlist.
“I’m talking to a few schools to get me on campus, but that’ll be more towards the fall, before the season. I’ll go back to Maryland in the fall for a football game on an official.”
Ward is rated a four-star prospect and a 94 overall by On3, sitting as the third-best prospect in Maryland.
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