Subscribe to Full Court PressDestiny Williams Leaves Illinois for Baylor
By Lee Michaelson
Publisher
No. 11 Baylor’s already talent-rich roster gains another All-American—their fourth—as Destiny Williams, a 6-0 forward from Benton Harbor, Michigan, transfers to Waco from the University of Illinois, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey announced today.
Williams, a McDonald’s All-American and a WBCA high school All-American last year as a senior at Benton Harbor High School, was considered to be among the top 20 recruits in the country. Last summer, she won a gold medal with the USA Basketball’s U19 National Team at the 2009 U19 World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, averaging 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds for Team USA during World’s and twice leading the team in rebounding.
Williams was widely considered to be the top among an incoming class of blue-chip recruits when she arrived at the University of Illinois this fall. But personal differences between Williams and Illinois head coach Jolette Law led to the freshman being placed on an “indefinite leave of absence,” after playing just eight minutes of one game in which she notched a single point for the Illini.
Nonetheless, Williams, will be ineligible until the end of finals of the fall 2010 semester, when she will have three years of eligibility remaining. Williams will be the fourth McDonald’s All-American in the Lady Bear program, joining senior Morghan Medlock, sophomore Brooklyn Pope and freshman Brittney Griner.
If Mulkey and Williams prove to be a better fit for one another, the newcomer’s other prep honors suggest an exceptional career ahead of her. Williams was named 2008-09 Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year and she was a two-time first-team all-state selection by both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News. As a senior, she averaged 29.9 points, 16.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 4.5 blocks a game, leading Benton Harbor to a Class A state championship and 25-2 record with a double-double of 31 points and 21 rebounds in the title game.
Williams was also named 2008 Michigan Class A Player of the Year by the Associated Press after averaging 24.5 points, 13.9 rebounds, 4.2 blocks and 3.7 as a junior and leading her school to a 17-2 record. As a sophomore Williams averaged 25.3 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game to earn all-state (AP and Coaches), all-conference and all-city accolades.
No. 11 Baylor’s already talent-rich roster gains another All-American—their fourth—as Destiny Williams, a 6-0 forward from Benton Harbor, Michigan, transfers to Waco from the University of Illinois, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey announced today.
Williams, a McDonald’s All-American and a WBCA high school All-American last year as a senior at Benton Harbor High School, was considered to be among the top 20 recruits in the country. Last summer, she won a gold medal with the USA Basketball’s U19 National Team at the 2009 U19 World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, averaging 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds for Team USA during World’s and twice leading the team in rebounding.
Williams was widely considered to be the top among an incoming class of blue-chip recruits when she arrived at the University of Illinois this fall. But personal differences between Williams and Illinois head coach Jolette Law led to the freshman being placed on an “indefinite leave of absence,” after playing just eight minutes of one game in which she notched a single point for the Illini.
Nonetheless, Williams, will be ineligible until the end of finals of the fall 2010 semester, when she will have three years of eligibility remaining. Williams will be the fourth McDonald’s All-American in the Lady Bear program, joining senior Morghan Medlock, sophomore Brooklyn Pope and freshman Brittney Griner.
If Mulkey and Williams prove to be a better fit for one another, the newcomer’s other prep honors suggest an exceptional career ahead of her. Williams was named 2008-09 Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year and she was a two-time first-team all-state selection by both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News. As a senior, she averaged 29.9 points, 16.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 4.5 blocks a game, leading Benton Harbor to a Class A state championship and 25-2 record with a double-double of 31 points and 21 rebounds in the title game.
Williams was also named 2008 Michigan Class A Player of the Year by the Associated Press after averaging 24.5 points, 13.9 rebounds, 4.2 blocks and 3.7 as a junior and leading her school to a 17-2 record. As a sophomore Williams averaged 25.3 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game to earn all-state (AP and Coaches), all-conference and all-city accolades.
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Originally published Wed, January 20, 2010
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