NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Louisiana of last decade
By Joey Loose
8. Robert Williams – Texas A&M
As you can tell from the article so far, Louisiana has produced some impressive frontcourt talent in recent year and Williams is the next example of that. A 6’9 forward from Vivian, Williams was a four-star prospect who opted to take his talents to Texas A&M, playing under Billy Kennedy in the SEC. He would make an impact, not only for the Aggies but in setting himself up for the next level.
As a freshman, Williams averaged 11.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, becoming an important piece for the Aggies despite starting just over half their games. He had slightly better rebound numbers (9.2 a game) as a sophomore, but Texas A&M as a whole was even better, as Williams helped lead the program to the Sweet Sixteen, upsetting North Carolina in the second round. He had a 13-point, 14-rebound effort in the previous round’s win over Providence.
We’ve talked about the offense, but it’s defense that was Williams’ game, leading him to win SEC Defensive Player of the Year in both of his collegiate campaigns. He led the conference in rebounds and blocks as a sophomore and was a natural force in the paint, causing havoc on both sides of the ball. He was a late first-round pick by the Boston Celtics in 2018 and remains with the team four years later.