CALGARY – University of Calgary Dinos men's basketball forward Hayden Franson is heading overseas after signing his first professional contract with NKA Universitas Pécs in Hungary.

Franson joined the Dinos after competing with Cornell University and quickly established himself as a reliable contributor. The 6-foot-7 forward appeared in all 20 regular season and four postseason games in 2025-26, finishing second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. He also finished second on the team in rebounds with 142 and added 17 blocks on the defensive end.

Among his standout performances, Franson posted a season-high 25 points against the Regina Cougars on Jan. 10 to open the second half of the season. He also recorded a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds in the Canada West Play-In matchup against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, helping push the Dinos into the quarter-finals.

NKA Universitas Pécs competes in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A, the top tier of professional basketball in Hungary, alongside 13 other clubs.

-UC-