He doesn’t play at BYU When the program joined the Big 12 in 2023-24Transfer guard Rudy WilliamsHelp his teammates prepare for the toughest basketball conference in the country.
Prior to spending time at Coastal Carolina last season, Williams played at Kansas State University in the Big 12 program. He knows everything about the Big 12.
This year will be a transitional period Director Mark Pope And cougar. And with one year left, Williams looks forward to his role in helping BYU with a jump to the Big 12.
“They made me better. They didn’t try to turn me into a player I wasn’t. They threw the ball for me and let me go. — A year of Rudy Williams playing for Coastal Carolina
“A good season will give a lot of confidence to the guys coming back towards the Big 12,” Williams said. “The experience of playing in the Big 12 goes a step further and is probably the best conference in the country. I think a good year will make everyone more motivated and more successful. The good thing will definitely help them do it and get better. “
For Williams, this marks the final season of his college basketball. And he has many goals he wants to achieve.
“I want to be as good as I can and be prepared for the professional level. I want to do something unique. I want to hang a banner,” he said. “I want to win something — I want to make a run in a conference championship or (NCAA) tournament. I haven’t played in March Madness yet, and that’s definitely my goal. You win. You can’t do that without it. I want to be the best player I can, be the best version of myself, and see how much I can grow. “
“Late bloomer”
Williams, 6’2, is from Hamilton, Ontario. He used to play in high school, but he had a hard time getting attention from recruiters at US universities.
“I think it was late bloomers when it came to basketball after leaving Canada,” Williams said. “It wasn’t very popular in high school. Many D-IIs and junior colleges. My goal was to play Division I. This is a big stage.”
Williams signed the Northeast Oklahoma A & M and spent two seasons there. He won the honor of NJCAA Second Team All-America and Region II Player of the Year after leading the country with assists. He ended up with 24 double-doubles and 6 triple-doubles.
“By choosing to go to the junior college route, it took me extra time to prove that I was capable enough to play at that stage and at that level,” he said. rice field. “Junior college, I had a good year there for two years. We won a lot of ball games, and I got better and grew up as a player and as a person.”
After junior college, Williams continued his career in Kansas. He was hired by KSU during a pandemic, so he couldn’t experience his traditional recruitment visit.
“My year in Kansas was very educational. I learned a lot,” he said. “It was a very good experience. I played against the best and the best. It prepared me to do what I did this year and then I did what I did in the future.”
With Wildcats, Williams played 27 games and started four times. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He ranked fifth in the team with three points and scored at least one three point in 11 games, including the season’s best four in a Milwaukee victory.
Rudy Williams (5) and Antonio Gordon (11) from Kansas State University will react from the bench during a match against Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Williams will play the final year of college basketball at Provo next season for BYU Cougars.
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Williams entered the transfer portal and eventually arrived at Coastal Carolina. He averaged 14.7 points last season and had 3.2 assists. He shot 44.7% from the 3-point range and 74.5% from the free throw line. Williams finished ninth in the Sun Belt.
“My year at Coastal was great. I really appreciate the opportunity the coaching staff gave me here. I chose Coastal Carolina because of my previous relationship with the coaching staff when I was at the transfer portal last year. They have been recruiting me since I was a high school and junior college student, “Williams said. “I had a relationship with the players. I knew some of the people here. I became a better person and a better player.
“I was able to show off my talent. We won a lot of games. The coaching staff gave me a chance and a platform so I feel like I was able to do it. They made me better. They didn’t try to turn me into a player I wasn’t. They threw a ball for me and let me go rice field.”
“We have a matching goal.”
After the season, Williams decided to re-enter the transfer portal and explore his options.
According to Williams, this was a busy process, not the first time I visited the forwarding portal, but it was sometimes overwhelming.
“About 5-10 minutes after entering the portal, the phone started to explode. I received a text message and the school hit me on Twitter,” he said. “You will do your best to get rid of all the fog and all the smoke and fake and focus on the real school and the real school where you can see you go.
“I’m glad I was asked by many big time programs and big time coaches. It was fun. I was a little relieved that what I did wasn’t overlooked. It was pretty cool. It’s more positive than negative. did.”
Williams attracted attention from many schools and eventually narrowed down the options to San Diego, UConn, Cal, Butler, Wichita, Xavier, George Mason and BYU.
How much did he know about BYU in the early stages?
“Last year, when I was transferring from Kansas State University, BYU contacted me — (Former BYU Assistant) Coach (Chris) Burgess.. So I knew a little about BYU. I knew they had good players.I knew it Gideon George Because we were in the same junior college class, “he said. “I knew Alex Barcello When Daejeon Lucas.. When I was in Kansas, I played against Daejeon. I knew a little history, Jimmer Fredette The times. I knew they had a team that went to tournaments during the COVID year. I knew a little about the Pope and his history. “
After all, Williams chose BYU.
“It was a combination of opportunities, stages, relationships and coaching staff that were built over time,” he said. “They were really real to me during the hiring process … they had a good plan for me, and we have matching goals. That’s why I chose BYU.”
Rudy Williams of the Kansas Security Force will drive to the basket in front of Forward Java Johnson at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Williams will play the final year of college basketball for Mark Pope, Pro Bono’s BYU coach.
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Of course, Cougars lost their main scorer, and one of the top shooters across the country in Barcello. Williams wants BYU to offer some of what is missing without Barcello.
“I feel like I can fill the gap he leaves behind. I’ve seen a lot of BYU movies, but there are many similarities in our games. He’s probably more in the country. He was one of the best shooters, “he said. “I saw a lot of what he was doing and told myself that I could do the same.
“I’m confident that I can be a leader from day one. I’m a good guy and easy to play. I feel like what he’s done this year has something to do next season. “
Specifically, Williams brings a lot of skills to the program.
“I can make a lot of things out of bounces. I put pressure on the defense. I can make my own shots,” he said. “I’m always in attack mode, so I can also make shots for my teammates and get big dunks and layups. Defensively, I really, really hard play I’m going to give it all. I’ve been in college and want to take leadership in BYU basketball. I’m going to bring toughness too. “
Senior leadership is something important to Williams, who works to build relationships with future teammates.
“I was talking to some people. I had a bond before I got there. Relationships are a big issue when it comes to basketball,” he said. “The more I like guys, the easier it is to play with them. I’ve done a decent job of connecting with everyone so far.”
Family ties
Williams is one of seven children and the third oldest. Four of his seven siblings play basketball, and the youngest, 14 years old, is the fifth.
“We come from a fairly athletic background. Soccer, soccer, rugby, basketball. Everyone is pretty competitive in our home,” he said. “Without my family, I’m probably not me today. They all taught me what it takes to be successful. Diligent and devoted, and get what you want. Make a sacrifice for. I own a lot of families. “
His mother is crazy about basketball.
“I called my mother the other day on Saturday,” Williams said. “She can also be an ESPN analyst in the way she’s talking about the NBA Playoffs. Our house is pretty heavy on basketball.”
Williams’ brother went with him on a recruitment visit to Provo. It was their first trip to Utah.
“He was overwhelmed by Utah and Provo,” Williams said. “He was talking about buying a condo in town and moving during the season to come to the game. My family will definitely go on a trip to Provo.”
What was your impression of Williams on Utah?
“I thought it was very cold and it would snow. You think about the mountains and Utah Jazz. It was beautiful when I left the airport. I was overwhelmed by the mountains,” he said. “I was sticking my cell phone out the window trying to take a video of the mountains all along the trip. It was very beautiful. My brother and I joked. It’s like a movie scene. It was really good. “
Encounter with Cosmo
Over the years, Williams has been impressed with the BYU mascot. Cosmo and his antiques, dance, and social media stunts.
When he was recruiting for the campus, the coaching staff asked if Williams had what he needed. At first, he hesitated to ask Cosmo to be there when taking a photo. But he wanted to meet Cosmo. He said the coach could arrange it.
Cosmo was already there and waiting for him when Williams arrived for a photo shoot.
“I’m really grateful. It was pretty cool,” Williams said. “There were some pictures of him flipping behind me. I’m glad I could finally see it in person.”
Williams is also looking forward to playing at the Marriott Center.
“They say it goes crazy. They say about 15,000 fans go to the game. It’s the first time for me because I’ve never played in front of so many people. But they It’s good to be on my side, “he said. “I’ve also heard that the ROC counts how many times the opponent’s team missed a free throw throughout the year. Twitter fans say I’ll love playing there. Says it really gets bigger. It should be pretty exciting when I make 3 to hear the crowd make some noise for it. “It’s exciting.”
Williams is eager to win the championship, play in the NCAA tournament and help the program prepare for a big leap to the Big 12 for the final season of college basketball.
Rudy Williams of Kansas State University dribbled during a match against Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Williams is eager to transfer to BYU during the off-season and mark it with Provo.
Brad Tollefson, Associated Press
