The small town of Magrath is about equidistant between Lethbridge — the nearest population center in Alberta — and the United States-Canada border.

The heights of David Hansen’s basketball exploits may have had more exposure if done in a different place, but he found the college home he wanted all the same when he committed to Weber State men’s basketball one month ago.

Hansen is a 6-foot-9 wing/forward who graduated from Magrath High and is now playing for post-prep program CTA West out of Calgary for a gap year. CTA West this month competed in the Great Western Fall Classic at Wasatch Academy against many Utah high schools and Hansen has often been the leading or second-leading scorer for his team.

“I had some other things going but as far as where I wanted to be and one of my, like, dream schools, Weber was definitely it,” Hansen said. “So it was a no-brainer when they offered.”

Hansen says his family has lived in Calgary, Lethbridge and Magrath. He played his 11th-grade year at CTA West, then attended Magrath High for 12th grade. He’s been in touch with several colleges in Utah and in the Ivy League.

Hansen averaged 37 points per game at the “Sugar Bowl” in-season tournament hosted in Raymond, Alberta, in late 2022 and ended his high school career by splashing 11 3-pointers in the third-place game of Alberta’s provincial tournament (that’s a state tournament to Americans) for Magrath.

He describes himself as a spot-up shooter and ball-mover.

“Hansen is a long and lengthy wing/slasher that impacts the game in various ways and is a knockdown 3-point shooter,” wrote Nothing But Net magazine about Hansen’s play at the April’s Pangos live summer-circuit event in California. “Hansen is at his best when he is connecting from beyond the arc, as he has the height to shoot over any perimeter defender and the quickness to get by bigger defenders.”

So how was Weber State considered a “dream” school for a Western Canadian?

Alberta has a robust presence of people who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though Hansen is not one of those people, Utah was a college basketball target destination for him that would “feel like home.”

Hansen took his official visit to Weber State over the weekend with his CTA West team already in the state.

“The scenery is amazing here. Ogden is such a great town and Weber, just their culture, who they are, the coaching staff is amazing. Some of the greatest people I’ve met,” Hansen said. “I was in shock for most of the visit, to be honest with you. I felt lucky I was able to have an opportunity to play for a program that’s as good as Weber.”

Hansen will compete with CTA West through the winter while he tries to ready his game for college. His first priority, he says, is hitting the weight room and learning how to get stronger through workouts and diet.

“Getting my shot off quicker, developing my IQ and just getting stronger for the college level because it’s a man’s game,” he said.

Hansen was the first 2024 commitment for Weber State men’s basketball. Fremont High’s Hunter Hansen followed two weeks later but he, and a few other Utah high school seniors WSU is targeting for what is effectively the 2026 class, will serve missions before enrolling.

Weber State picked up a second 2024 commitment Wednesday in Trevor Hennig, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Snoqualmie, Washington. He’s averaged 18 points, four rebounds and four assists over the last two seasons at Mount Si High School and is a career 44% 3-point shooter over three seasons. He also held an offer from Eastern Washington.

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