Betclic ELITE – Second in the Paris Basketball evaluation behind TJ Shorts, Tyson Ward shines and establishes himself as one of the team’s leaders. The American full-back looks back on his career, the club’s good start to the season, and talks to us about his big ambitions.
Arriving in Paris from Bonn during the summer of 2023 with his coach and several teammates, Tyson Ward (1.98 m, 26 years old) is making a name for himself in Betclic ELITE. The cousin of former NBA player Charlie Ward has a string of high-flying performances (11.6 points on 47.5% shooting and 4.5 rebounds on average in 25 minutes in France) and is no stranger to exceptional results from the capital club this season (leader of Eurocup group A, tied for third in the league). The Floridian has great ambitions, for himself and for Paris Basketball.
How do you explain the defeat suffered against Bourg-en-Bresse when you still had a 6-point lead two minutes from the end of the match?
We lacked energy and we didn’t make the necessary efforts in the last quarter. What we were able to do in the first half, when we led by 10 points. It came down to that. We didn’t set the pace we usually set. They took the upper hand on the rebound and responded at the end of the match.
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Paris is off to a good start to the season, both in the league and in the EuroCup. How do you judge your results and what are the team’s ambitions?
We started the season with high expectations. However, our philosophy is really to take the matches one after the other, to play each match at 100%, whatever the opponent. We take every match seriously. We won’t win every time, but the goal is really to give ourselves the means to win every match. Coming back to our results, we have the feeling that we can do better, particularly in the management of our highlights. We tend to squander the advances taken during the match, like against ASVEL or at Bourg-en-Bresse, instead of killing the match and taking cover. We need to make progress on this.
“Monaco is clearly a step above”
You faced Monaco, ASVEL and Bourg en Bresse in two weeks. Which team impressed you the most, and what are Paris’ chances of winning the championship?
The match against Monaco, one of the best teams in Europe, was a shock for us. It’s clearly a cut above the rest of the teams in the championship, with no disrespect to anyone. However, I think that on a good evening the result could have been different. We will continue to work and I am convinced that we will have a chance to beat them next time. We have the means to go all the way.
You joined Paris with Tuomas Iisalo, your coach, and five players (Herrera, Kessens, Shorts, Malcolm, Kratzer), with whom you played last year for Bonn in the BBL. Can you tell us how this transfer was carried out, on a fairly rare scale?
Tyson Ward averages 11.6 points at 48% and 4.5 rebounds in Betclic ELITE (photo: Lucas Morel)
Tuomas Iisalo, our coach, was the first to discuss with Paris. He came to see us to offer to follow him, explaining to us that we would have a chance to play in the EuroLeague in the short term. We were immediately attracted by the project of playing at the highest possible level while capitalizing on the work carried out in Bonn. And considering the trust we all have in Tuomas Iisalo, we did not hesitate for a single second to follow him here. We knew it was the best option for us.
You have had a good start to the season personally in Betclic ELITE. How do you judge the French championship and your performances so far?
The Betclic ELITE is more athletic than the Bundesliga and the outside players in France are more focused on one-on-one and scoring. As a guard, it’s a defensive challenge for me every evening, which forces me to study my opponent’s game and prepare well. This is the big news compared to last year. For the rest, I’m really happy here in Paris. I continue to progress by playing my game, without worrying, and, above all, by having fun.
You seem as intense on the field as you are relaxed off it. What is your approach to basketball?
I put things into perspective a lot before matches. I try to relax as much as possible, remembering that it’s just basketball, so as not to put unnecessary pressure on myself. That doesn’t stop me from being intense once the match starts, because that’s our style of play. I’m just trying to find the right balance between fun and intensity. It allows me to express myself on offense as well as on defense, to let loose and involve the public with dunks or other spectacular actions, to leave my mark on each match.
“I had a hard time with Tuomas Iisalo when I arrived in Bonn”
Tuomas Iisalo told us during a press conference that you had come a long way since your arrival in Germany, and that he was very proud of you. Do you know what he was referring to?
I know exactly where he was going with this (laughs). To tell you the truth, I had a bit of trouble when I arrived in Bonn. I had a hard time with the framework that Tuomas Iisalo wanted to impose on me when I joined the team. I didn’t have the necessary perspective to accept his methods, his discipline, and that caused us some headaches. I ended up letting go and accepting his coaching, telling myself that maybe I didn’t know everything. And it was true. I progressed year after year, both on a human level and as a player. I am very grateful to him. He trusted me and made me grow. I try to give him that confidence every time I step on the floor.
You notably played baseball in your youth, how did you get into basketball?
My father, Chris Ward, was a professional basketball player. He notably played in Spain, the Philippines and Lebanon where I lived with him until the age of two. But basically I’m a big baseball fan. I love that. I played different sports, but baseball was really my thing. I started getting really interested in the orange ball in my sophomore year of high school, when I started getting thinner and bigger. I was already playing there, but I understood at that moment that maybe I could have a future in basketball.
“I love the EuroLeague”
You grew up near Tampa, Florida, not far from Orlando. Were you a Magic fan when you were younger? Which players inspired you?
Oddly enough, I was a Lakers fan growing up, and especially a Kobe Bryant fan. Today I don’t really have an idol or a player that I try to be like. I follow what the Europeans do, who dominate the NBA today. And of course I really like the EuroLeague. I like the style of play, very structured, which reminds me of the NCAA relatively speaking. My goal is clearly to join the NBA one day, because it remains the best league in the world, but I love the EuroLeague.
You were not drafted when you left North Dakota State, despite a solid 4-year course. How did you join the German championship? What are your ambitions for the rest of your career?
Tyson Ward quickly established himself as one of the darlings of the Halle Carpentier (photo: Julie Dumélié)
I showed up for the Draft in the year of Covid, which didn’t help me. It was while participating in the Impact Academy in Las Vegas, where I rubbed shoulders with Justin Simon, that I got my first taste of it. I had just signed with my agent and had no idea where I was going to play. When I was offered to sign for the Basketball Bundesliga League, I inquired. I have had good feedback from a few players, who have confirmed to me the quality of the game in Germany and the financial solidity of the clubs. So I decided to sign. And I don’t regret my choice.
You seem attached to Germany, where you spent three years. How is your adaptation to the city of Paris going?
The truth is that we are always on the move and I am never in Paris (laughs). But it is a superb city, with lots of things to do and see. I hope to have more time to enjoy it more, especially when it comes to shopping, because I’m a big fan of fashion. Maybe during the All-Star Game break, which I will spend with my family in Paris.
TJ Shorts told us that you and Collin Malcolm were better rappers than him. So the real question in the end is: who is the best rapper on the team? Is there a chance we’ll see you take the microphone one day?
TJ is doing very well. You shouldn’t listen to everything he tells you. The truth is, we all have our moments. One day it’s one, one day it’s the other. And sometimes we’re all in trouble (laughs). In any case, you will never see me take the microphone! It remains a delirium between us to relax before the matches and enjoy the moment.
2023-12-21 11:09:12
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