By Matthew Woodland
Mountain View High School, Utah Valley State College, Chile, BYU. That has been the path of Cougar basketball all-star Travis Hansen.
Born April, 1978, the six ft., six in., 200 pound guard grew up in BYU''s backyard. Hansen''s tenacity as an athlete has helped him move up through the ranks from pee-wees to possibly the pros.
Coaches on all levels have taken notice of his work ethic. For example, Mountain View High School Athletic Director Joel Gardner said he could tell that Hansen was a natural player.
'He could play physically,' Gardner said. His personality 'really blossomed on his mission.'
Hansen lost his mom to cancer during high school and used basketball as an outlet for his sorrow.
'It was really hard on Travis,' Gardner said. 'He was a very good kid, even off the court.'
After playing basketball his freshman year at UVSC, BYU Basketball Head Coach Steve Cleveland saw his ability and knew he wanted him.
Cleveland said, 'I knew he was extremely athletic and a fiery competitor.'
Due to Hansen''s determination and work ethic, the Cougar team prospered. BYU basketball attendance achieved the nation''s largest average increase from last season.
Losing only one home game in the last three seasons has helped, a record Hansen took from Danny Ainge.
Hansen has withstood trial after trial to earn his way to the top. The death of his mother, then red-shirting a season on the BYU bench, followed by a broken foot that limited his role his first season as a Cougar.
Hansen has definitely proven himself by earning co-MVP honors in the Mountain West Conference, leading the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament after tying for the WAC title.
This past season he averaged 16.8 points a game and handed out 2.4 assists. His teammates describe him as an 'undeniable leader.'
As for the NBA draft, Hansen has chosen to refuse all media for any comment, wanting it to be a private time with his family, he said.
No matter where he ends up, after workouts with pro teams, Hansen is excited.
'It''s a much more fun game than college,' Hansen told the Daily Herald.
Travis Hansen has shown the loyal Cougar fans over his three-year career he''s ready for whatever challenge may lie ahead.
Whether it''s high school, college or maybe soon the NBA parents and coaches say he has always made the right decisions. Good luck, Travis.