Ben Hammond has continuously made strong strides forward in his skillset throughout his time in Blacksburg. Now entering his junior year, the Virginia native says there was no secret to it. He watched more film, played more basketball, and put in the work.
"It sounds cliche, but your work does pretty much show when you put it in," Hammond said. "I just stayed true to my work, and it showed."
Much of that work went into his three-point shooting, with assistant coach JD Byers rebounding shots alongside him. Hammond believes the biggest factor was developing the belief he could evolve into a better shooter.
"I felt like shooting is more confidence than anything. A lot of people don't think that," he said. "I probably don't have the best mechanical jump shot that people would say, but my confidence helps me a lot with my jumper."
That self-assurance was not always there. Hammond arrived on campus as a freshman with a long line of players ahead of him, and he describes his confidence as "real low." The coaching staff, led by Coach Young, helped change that, along with a breakout performance against Syracuse in his freshman year.
"I just felt like I could hang with anybody after that game, and my confidence went up a lot," he said.
Byers also played a part in bringing Hammond to Blacksburg. Byers was at VCU at the time, and Hammond heard that the staff there did not think he was good enough to play at that level. Instead of discouraging him, it pushed him toward a coach who would be honest with him. Being in-state, with family able to attend games, made the decision feel right.
Hammond’s family also served as an instrumental part of Hammond’s development on the court. He is the youngest of four, and his father's Army background helped build his work ethic, from early-morning lifts to the daily grind of the season.
"He's a very militant parent, for sure," Hammond said. "That goes hand in hand with the work I have to do on the court."
In an era of constant roster turnover, Hammond has stayed put, and he says the reason is loyalty. "They believed in me when a lot of teams didn't. I feel like I have to pay that back to them," he said. He also credits the Hokie community, saying he has never met a bad person in Blacksburg.
Even though Hammond’s vocal presence can tend to lean on the more reserved side, the junior guard has strengthened his leadership abilities during his time in Blacksburg. "These guys are getting it out of me, for sure," he said. "When guys look at me to be a leader, I've gotta step up and be that for them."
Heading into year three at Cassell, Hammond has plenty to be excited about. A rigorous non-conference schedule will test the group early, and he is eager to see how the new additions mesh with returners Tyler Johnson and Amani Hansberry, who are healthy and ready to share the court. He is also pleased with the progress of the sophomores, including Solomon Davis and Sin’Cere Jones, who worked diligently in the offseason to emerge as bigger factors in the lineup this year.
Off the court, Hammond is majoring in sports media and analytics, with hopes of staying in basketball when his playing days end. As for now, Hammond’s main goal, as well as the team’s, is to make the NCAA Tournament at the conclusion of a successful regular season campaign. Now that he is equipped with the confidence he has built up over his time here, there is no doubt that the Hammond can lead the Hokies to achieving that goal.