Big West Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)
By Joey Loose
2. Alan Williams
There’s no shortage of UC Santa Barbara players on this list and Williams is certainly the latest. A 6’8 center from Phoenix, he arrived on the college scene back in 2011 and starred for four seasons with the Gauchos. We’re not considering those first two seasons, but it’s important to note that he had a major leap forward as a sophomore, averaging 17 points a game after a much quieter freshman campaign.
His jump as a junior was significant too, averaging 21.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in a 21-win season for UC Santa Barbara. He had a 20-rebound effort against UC Davis and would repeat that feat against Mercer as a senior. His numbers were quite similar during that senior season, though junior year was both his best scoring year and the team’s most successful season. Regardless, he averaged a double-double in each of his final three campaigns, including 11.8 rebounds a game as a senior.
During his junior season, Williams was named Big West Player of the Year, the second of three consecutive First Team All-Big West nominations. Though that was certainly his most impactful offensive season, he actually led the entire nation with his rebounding numbers in his senior season. Williams didn’t have the postseason success that some of the other names on this list experienced, but nobody came close to being a total player and dominant rebounder like he was.