UCLA'S Williams is preparing to `be the best teammate'

If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.

When the UCLA men’s basketball team trailed USC 22-15 with 6:28 left in the first half of Saturday’s game, freshman forward Devin Williams scored four straight points to jumpstart the Bruins’ 12-0 run, part of a greater 24-6 surge to close the first half of their 65-50 victory over the Trojans.

The 6-foot-10 freshman was ready when his number was called by UCLA coach Mick Cronin, even after not receiving any playing time the previous seven games.

Williams has played in only six of UCLA’S 20 games this season, averaging 2.3 points in four minutes per game. However, he said he’s already learned so much by having a front-row seat to watch college basketball.

“First of all, the main thing was being the best teammate,” Williams said. “Clapping every time. Standing up, cheering on my teammates but seeing it, being able to watch and be like, ‘OK, I can be in this position, that position or I see Adem or whoever Berke do this, do that.’ Just honestly taking notes in my head and asking questions to Coach and being able to hopefully apply it onto the floor and help the team.”

Williams credited his ability to contribute when called upon to constantly honing his craft.

“Honestly, just being in the gym every single day,” said Williams, who is less than a year removed from being a star at Corona Centennial High, where he helped win a third consecutive Cif-southern Section

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“Trusting the process,” he said. “Watching highlights every day. Watching practice, going over practice just seeing how it is, what can I do to get on the floor. Staying poised. Staying confident always so whenever my number is called I’ll be ready.”

Williams’ final stat line against the Trojans of four points, one rebound and one block in 7 minutes and 32 seconds tells only part of the story.

“You have to stay positive with them in practice and you have to stay committed to their development and keep them engaged and not let them hang their head,” Cronin said. “Keep them positive and believing that their work ethic and their fight and their attitude has got to stay positive and that will determine whether they get where they want to go some day or not.”

Andrews said Williams is progressing well from being a highly touted high school basketball player to the college basketball scene.

Point guard Dylan Andrews has seen Williams’ progress.

“It’s an adjustment for sure coming from high school, especially to this type of high-level basketball,” Andrews said. “I feel like he’s progressing great. He’s a dog, coming in Day One, and he’s just a gym rat. He just wants to get on the floor and is always asking questions, always trying to figure out how can he help us and make our team better.”