Big Ten Basketball: Top 20 impact transfers heading into 2021-22 season

No.13 Elyjah Williams – Northwestern

After a season of finishing fourteenth in the Big Ten in total rebounds and thirteenth in blocks, Head Coach Chris Collins will be more than happy to insert the 6-7 transfer from Fairleigh Dickenson into his starting line-up to begin the 2021-22 season. In his senior season, the grad transfer averaged 14 points and over seven rebounds per game on his way to being named to the All-NEC First Team.

While starting every game he played the past two seasons, the Illinois native has prided himself on not being outworked on the basketball court. As an unrelenting workhouse in the frontcourt, he will provide needed support for Pete Nance and in particular Robbie Beran, as Williams is capable of defending the post as well at 220 pounds.

Offensively, he only averaged one made three-pointer per game, but has shown his 40 percent success rate is no fluke for he went three for three and four for five in 28 and 27 point games respectively last season. He also demonstrated his competence of playing with his back to the basket, as was demonstrated in the 2019 First Four when he regularly demanded attention, if not a double team, versus Prairie View A&M.

Williams will make a greater impact for Northwestern than he will in the Big Ten as a whole, for it is his defensive attributes that have him sitting above more natural scorers.