Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1405271
28 WAC Magazine | wac.net I f you follow college basketball, you already know Jason Hamilton. Chances are he's been in your home, your car, and maybe even your head- set while you're mowing the lawn. As a longtime radio commentator for the University of Washington men's team, Jason can be heard twice a week every winter from Seattle to Spokane. When it comes to Husky hoops, you'd be hard- pressed to find a better source. If your Northwest roots run back a couple of decades, you also know Jason was a 6-foot guard who led the 1996 Huskies to their first postseason appearance in nearly a decade. And if you count yourself among those who re- member the 1998 season—when Wash- ington allowed three shots and a tip in the final eight seconds of the Sweet 16— you might also realize that Jason, who in basketball circles goes by "J-Ham," was an assistant coach on that team. "at was a tough one," Jason recalled recently while taking a break at Torchy's on the 2nd Floor of the WAC. "One of the worst games ever." In truth, it was nothing short of a March Madness classic, the kind you can still find on late-night cable replay or "I cannot wait to get back to utilizing the Club how I used to use it and to seeing people." FLASHBACK with a quick YouTube search. ere's just one catch … PRESENT DAY Fast forward nearly 25 years. It's a warm June day in Seattle. Jason has just fin- ished a photoshoot at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, the Husky home court, where he still spends a good deal of time. Aer leaving the gym, he drives expertly along Lake Washington Ship Canal and south to downtown. It's a route he knows by heart. Reaching the WAC in impres- sive time, Jason parks and walks. e post-pandemic reopening of downtown hasn't kicked in yet, and only a few peo- ple join him on the sidewalk. e lobby to Rainier Tower, home to Marsh insur- ance brokerage, is empty. Jason swipes a keycard in the elevator and rides to the 19th floor. Standing at the windows of his corner office, he takes in the view. e WAC Clubhouse rises 21 stories just a block away. "I cannot wait to get back to utilizing the Club how I used to use it and to seeing people," Jason says. Jason joined the WAC in 2003 and U N I V E R S I T Y O F W A S H I N G T O N