Twitter & Instagram: @jhairston15
Recently, I tweeted: “Lately, I’ve been seeing some professional (overseas basketball) players stop by one of the facilities where I work. It’s fascinating how they pay such serious attention to detail in doing all of the ‘boring things.’ Regardless of the level, reps never change.”
That last sentence proves true for all of those involved with the game, obviously, but I also wanted to make sure I gave the pros a shout-out for all of the hard work they have and continue to, put in this summer. During my own college playing days in the past, I had opportunities to partake in workouts with those particular hoopers during the summer offseason. It’s honestly always been fascinating to note how many hours they spend in the gym; no less than 3-4 separate workouts on a daily basis. I guess one could presume this, however, considering that orange ball acts as a money-making career for those in the pro ranks.
Last November, I interviewed/featured Ricardo Marsh to learn about the 6’8” forward’s 13-year overseas career that included stints in the countries of Turkey, Japan, Israel, Latvia, Ukraine, Serbia and Dubai. More recently, I had the opportunity to run into Josh Hairston, who worked as a camp counselor for the 2019 Justin Anderson Elite Camp, which I covered from July 25th to July 27th. Similar to Marsh, the 6’9” Hairston also has been to several different countries for international competition. His game has always spoke volumes but, personally, I feel his entire resume of accomplishments makes him one of the most noteworthy basketball figures to ever come out of Fredericksburg, VA. Being the hometown for the both of us, I can affirm that not too many people from the area have had experiences in the way Hairston has.
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In the late 2000s decade, the majority of folks within Fredericksburg knew all about the boys’ basketball program over at Courtland High School. Led under head coach J.T. Nino at the time, the Cougars became one of the hottest topics on the hoops scene for their talented varsity core, led by a young forward. A tall forward, advanced beyond his years, who could dominate both inside and out, Hairston became a starter during his freshmen campaign to lead the team in scoring with 14.7 points a night; also adding 7.4 rebounds and three assists. The next season, he bumped his numbers up to a double-double average of 17.2 points and 10.3 rebounds, while beginning to attract greater attention from high major programs. Ohio State, Georgetown, Virginia, and Maryland were all in the mix but, when Duke University came calling, Hairston decided on the Blue Devils not too long after, in 2008.
“I was recruited (by Duke) early on in my freshmen year of high school,” Hairston explained. “After spending some summers playing for Boo Williams and D.C. Assault in AAU, I just felt it was right to commit to Duke at the end of my sophomore year.”
With that big decision off of his back early in that high school tenure, Hairston had his sights solely set for a successful junior year at Courtland. The result' One of the best school seasons in both school and area history. Led by Hairston, as well as other standout players like Avery Green ’10 and Mario McMorris ’10, the Cougars finished the year with a 27-2 overall record; capped off with the program’s first Virginia AA Division 4 state championship. Hairston, ranked as a four-star national prospect at the time, averaged 23.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and three blocks to take home much hardware at the conclusion of that same 2008-09 season: the Virginia High School Coaches Association State Player of the Year, The Associated Press State Player of the Year, Region 1 Player of the Year, Battlefield District Player of the Year, and The Free Lance-Star Co-Player of the Year.
“Oh, that state championship year was a great experience. For me, it was one of those things where I saw it building up during my freshmen and sophomore years. My freshmen year, we were a veteran-heavy team and I was one of two freshmen playing up. The older seniors did a great job of laying the foundation for me; showing and knowing what it really takes to play. My sophomore year, we were a bit thinner on the team. A lot of guys either quit or just decided they didn’t want to play anymore. But, our group of guys worked really hard together and, my junior year, we entered the season as one of the top teams to beat. I felt we ran through the area and the state tournament as well. It was a great year for us.”
(Mike Morones/The Free Lance-Star)
Ultimately, that memorable winter season would also end as Hairston’s final appearance in a Cougars uniform. After taking time to ponder decisions, he ended up making a transfer move to Montrose Christian School, a former basketball powerhouse in Rockville, MD, for his senior year. The choice proved difficult in leaving his Courtland peers behind, but Hairston and his circle knew it would bring benefits in prepping for those upcoming years in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
“So, going back to my freshmen year of high school, a lot of private schools had ask me to come play for them. Most were located in D.C., Maryland, and New Jersey. It was something that I really didn’t know. I didn’t realize how big high school basketball was in those programs. This area (in Fredericksburg) was all that I knew; I just wanted to be here at home to play with my friends. After winning all of those awards for my junior year, I spoke with Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) and Coach Nate James at Duke. They felt it would be best for me to challenge myself more at a school like Montrose, which already had another Fredericksburg guy, Justin Anderson.”
Once he arrived to the small school campus in Rockville, Hairston’s on-court production maintained its consistency. If anything, he made his name known, nationally, even better. The senior leader posted nightly stat lines of 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists; leading Montrose Christian to a 16-5 clip. Subsequently, he was named the 2010 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year, a Washington Post All-Met first teamer, a Parade All-America third team selection.
Reflecting on his four years spent with the Duke Blue Devils, Hairston acknowledges that it came with a mixture of patience, challenges, and reward. Only a certain number of players can say they spent an entire college career competing in the ACC and learning under one of the most renowned college basketball coaches ever. Not to mention playing alongside all of the future NBA players that came through Duke, including current superstar Kyrie Irving, who still remains one of Hairston’s closest friends. It’s a special opportunity to make it to that level and Hairston can best explain what it takes to the young ones with big dreams.
“The Duke experience itself is one that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. It’s one of those things where you don’t know what you were involved in until it’s over. Coach K is by far the greatest coach of our generation; being able to gain lessons from him about basketball and life was surreal. I played with some really talented guys too… Kyrie (Irving), Jabari Parker, Austin Rivers, Rodney Hood, and more. Those guys are now making great NBA names for themselves, so it was great to build lifelong friendships with them in the few years we spent together on campus.
“You know, it’s funny because I actually didn’t grow up a Duke fan…I grew up rooting for North Carolina. I started to learn, however, that many people likely didn’t like Duke because they won all of the time. I realized that same thing even more once entering the program. So, it was one of the great single-handed experiences I’ve been through in my life. A lot of good memories…winning the ACC tournament my freshmen year, beating Carolina at the buzzer from Austin Rivers’ game-winning three-pointer (February 8, 2012), going undefeated on the road during my sophomore season. Honestly, what brought it all together was my senior night; just knowing all of the work put in for those four years and even before. Those were a few of my favorite highlights, for sure.”
When one has Duke Basketball listed on his/her resume, it has a great chance of catching the eyes of coaches, teams, and agents within the next level past college. Unsure if the NBA was still an attainable goal after his college days, Hairston smartly used his connections and inevitable playing ability to make a professional overseas career possible. Initially, he, like most players who may currently be interested in taking that path, didn’t exactly know how the process functioned. Of course, over a small amount of time, Hairston learned getting your foot in the door for overseas hoops mainly depended on ‘who you know;’ a phrase I’m sure many have heard more than once.
“I think with American basketball in general, a lot of us are naïve to the fact that other countries out there have competitive leagues. We all grow up over here with the goal to make it to the NBA. That was a dream of mine too but obviously I didn’t get there and still knew overseas was a possibility late in my career. Playing in other countries honestly wasn’t even anything I thought about until after my junior year of college. I spoke to a couple of assistant coaches and hired an agent after my senior year. I really had no idea how all of that worked. I didn’t know that different countries had multiple leagues and stuff like that. After making some phone calls, including one to Nolan Smith (former Duke standout/current director of basketball operations who had brief playing career overseas). He helped set me up to get an agent.”
Switzerland would be Hairston’s first stop, where he became an immediate contributor for two seasons. He put up a season average of 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals during his first year (2014-15).
“Switzerland was lovely; a beautiful country. Once I got started, I realize it was something I would want to do for the next few years. I love traveling and taking on new experiences/challenges. It helped me learn a lot about myself. After two years, I went from Switzerland to Sweden, Sweden to Israel, and spent the last two seasons in Italy.”
Stat-wise, Hairston’s best career outing happened during that first season spent in Italy, playing for ‘Latina Basket.’ The forward averaged 17.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, while shooting a 65.3 field goal percentage. Even with the success, adjustments at each new level always tend to emerge at some point, especially early on. Hairston can acknowledge that he saw this take place in multiple areas, such as training routines, different types of international play, and being so far away from home.
“Well, as I’ve gotten older, my days vary in the way I train. Time spent in the gym has become shorter but also more…critical, if that makes sense. I’m more focused on fine-tuning things now. I try to get about three workouts (cardio, strength training, and shooting) in each day during the offseason and be done by around 2 p.m. I’m one of those guys who likes getting the work done early.”
“You might be able to notice how the competition differs a bit in every country but, at the end of the day, everyone’s still a pro. That’s how I look at it. Italy, by far, was the most competitive for me. I played against some unbelievable guys that were in the NBA at one point. The competition every night was tough and I love to compete; it was perfect for me.”
“The toughest thing about overseas ball is just being away. You miss out on holidays, family gatherings, special events, and just everything that you take for granted when being here in the states. I’m a big family guy, so not being able to attend those times is tough. But, they and I both understand it’s all part of the job. It’s something that’s not going to last forever.”
Having now played five years across the water, Hairston’s future remains uncertain about continuing into the 2019-20 season or not. Regardless of what will unfold, the 27 year-old views planning for life after basketball as a thought-process that needs to begin quite soon.
“Right now, I’m not entirely sure about going back overseas. I have some business stuff around the game of basketball that I’m getting started on currently. I’ve played professionally for five years and enjoyed every moment of it but I feel myself leaning towards getting ready for that next phase of life. Basketball’s been so great for me in meeting new people, traveling around the world, and building relationships. Still, I’ve already started preparing for what’s next in life. As cliché as that may sound, it’s true.”
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Growing up in Fredericksburg, where not too many make it to the highest of levels for sports, one definitely looks up to a guy like Hairston. I can recall being a young middle schooler and stepping into Courtland’s gym to see him put on a show with Coach K sitting in attendance. Hairston’s story is one of great significance and it’s easy to see that his humility hasn’t dipped in the slightest bit over the past decade. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the local product.