Last year at this time Alondes Williams was a part time starter playing a little more than 18 minutes per game, averaging a modest 6.7 points and 1.3 assists for a 16-11 Oklahoma team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
This week the Atlantic Coast Conference named the Wake Forest graduate transfer senior point guard the Player of the Year over Paolo Banchero and a host of other more highly touted NBA prospects after leading the Demon Deacons to a surprising 23-9 record.
In his breakout season in Winston Salem, Williams averaged 19.2 points,, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 51.6% from the floor.
The Milwaukee native nearly tripled his scoring average from last season and his stellar play makes me scratch my head and wonder why he didn’t play more at Oklahoma?
Leaving Norman, Oklahoma for the Tobacco roads in North Carolina ended up being a life changing decision that has paid off big time as Williams is now a legit NBA prospect after beginning the season relatively unknown to NBA scouts.
Williams will be 23 in June, so it’s quite possible his age will play a major role in where he’s selected on draft night. Although his age suggests he doesn’t have the same upside as some of the younger point guards in this draft class, it’s hard not to be impressed with his play this season.
