How Williams fits in if he’s eligible
Tigers’ latest transfer is a versatile scorer with length
Whether Deandre Williams will be granted the eligibility to play for the Memphis Tigers in 2020-21 remains to be seen.
The 6-foot-9 forward, whose signing was officially announced Monday, is the fourth Division I transfer Penny Hardaway has added since taking over as coach in 2018. None of the other three — Lance Thomas, Isaiah Stokes and Landers Nolley II — have been approved for immediate eligibility.
Williams played for three head coaches in his only season of eligibility at Evansville. His freshman season (2018-19) was wiped out when he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA as a partial qualifier.
Williams, who missed 14 games with a back injury last season, averaged a team-leading 15.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. He shot 64.8 percent from
“I feel like I’m a mismatch problem. I can just get it off the glass (and) if I’ve got a big in front of me or whatever, I can just push it. And I love facilitating.”
the field, 45.5 percent on 3-pointers and 80 percent from the free throw line.
How would Williams fit in at Memphis if he’s eligible immediately? Williams views himself as a highly skilled guard-forward hybrid.
“I consider myself as a three,” he told USA TODAY recently. “I feel like
I’m a small forward and a guard. Point forward, definitely. No question.”
Hardaway will almost certainly utilize him in that capacity at times, much like he afforded some leeway to reigning AAC Player of the Year Precious Achiuwa early last season. But the Tigers likely view Williams as the primary solution to the fill the void left by Achiuwa, who was most effective — and most beneficial to the team — at the five.
That could change if Memphis, with one scholarship available, lands a true center before the season begins. There aren’t many quality options left outside of a pair of high school prospects still considered part of the Class of 2021: Moussa Cisse and Moussa Diabate. Both are expected to reclassify and both are being pursued by the Tigers. Cisse included Memphis among the six schools he’s still considering.
Deandre Williams Memphis forward
If Memphis signs Cisse or Diabate, the majority of Williams’ playing time would likely come at the four, with Malcolm Dandridge, Stokes and Ahmad Rand providing depth in the frontcourt.
D.J. Jeffries and Thomas are most effective on offense at the three. Lester Quinones will likely claim shooting guard duties, and Boogie Ellis or Alex Lomax are expected to handle the point.
If the bulk of Williams’ playing time comes around and under the basket, he said that’s fine.
“I feel like I’m a mismatch problem,” he said. “I can just get it off the glass (and) if I’ve got a big in front of me or whatever, I can just push it. And I love facilitating. That’s the difference. I don’t always have to score. That’s what the big guys are doing nowadays: getting it off the glass, pushing, facilitating.
“My biggest priority is coming and playing early, obviously. But, I’m big on winning. I’m just a kid that loves to play basketball, man. (Memphis) is going to get a kid where he’s just going to do everything. Play his role. That’s one through five. If I’m getting it off the glass, pushing it, making plays for my teammates — I love making plays for my teammates. Just playing the right way. Being in the right spots. I’m a really good rebounder. I’m a good passer.
“At 6-9, I feel like I’m a valuable piece. That’s just how I feel about it.”