MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — After weeks of gauging the market for graduate transfers, West Virginia’s final basketball scholarship for next season will go to junior college small forward Billydee Williams.
The 6-foot-5 player with the movie-star name spent his sophomore season in a sixth-man role at South Plains (Texas) Community College. In less than 19 minutes per game, he averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds for a squad that went 29-6 and reached the NJCAA national quarterfinals.
Five players from his South Plains team have committed to D-I programs: Ole Miss, Hofstra, South Dakota, Wright State Tennessee Tech.
Williams added to that count by committing to West Virginia on Saturday while visiting campus. He tweeted:
“I have officially committed to West Virginia University! This is only the beginning #StayTuned It only gets better from here #ThankGod”
After making 40.5 percent from 3-point range (68-of-168) as a sophomore, Williams bears likeness to another wing the Mountaineers staff courted, Xavier transfer Justin Martin, who committed to SMU this week.
Coming out of Orlando’s Faith Baptist Christian in 2012, Williams was recruited by Texas A&M, Wyoming, James Madison and Murray State before committing to Towson.
He spent his freshman season at Iowa Western Community College, averaging 13.9 points and 3.8 boards and shooting 43 percent from deep.