Know Your Team: CJ Washington
Halifax Hurricanes
6'8
Forward
From Augusta, Georgia
2017 All-NBLC
A big fan favourite making his return to the NBL Canada courts in 2020, CJ Washington's fierce offence is matched by his loyalty, signing once more with the only pro team he has played for competitively.
In 2011 he ended his time with Butler High School in his hometown of Augusta having scored 1000 points and leading the team to the state championship. From there he joined junior college team the Tallahassee Eagles, averaging 12.7 points per game on 57% shooting his freshman year.
With averages of 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore, he accepted an offer made by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers. He started in all but one of the 28 games he appeared in as a junior, and was the second-highest scorer on the team with 13.0ppg and thirteenth in the Conference USA for rebounds, putting up an average 6.9 per contest.
He saw his time on the court reduced as a senior, but at the end of the regular season played in the NCAA Division 1 tournament. The Blazers pulled off the biggest upsets of the tournament, beating one of the favourites Iowa State 60-59 in the first round. However the team fell short to the UCLA Bruins in their following game. He ended his Blazers career with averages of 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Washington signed his first professional contract with Tomas de Rocamora in Argentina, but did not play for the team. Instead, he journeyed closer to home and made his debut with the Halifax Hurricanes. In the 2016-17 season he made 39 appearances, all but two as a starter, and finished the season with 17.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game - numbers which saw him named to the All-NBLC Third Team.
He returned to Halifax for the following season, averaging 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. In both seasons he helped the Hurricanes finish top of the Atlantic Division and reach the finals. After sitting out the 2018-19 season, Washington once again suited up for Halifax in 2019, and made a very welcome return to the team from the outset.
Scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in his first game back against the Sudbury Five, he would go on to register double-doubles in all but two of his first seven appearances in the 2019-20 season, always scoring in double digits. It's a great start to the season, one that onlookers will be hoping will continue.
Picture: The Chronicle Herald
