College Commitment: Noah Williams (2019 O’Dea HS)
The truth of the matter is, Buffalo was nowhere in the picture last spring and summer while Noah Williams was playing with Rotary on the EYBL circuit. Heck, the Bulls didn’t even start recruiting the athletic 6-foot-4 guard from O’Dea High School until late in the season – in fact, it started on senior night. But Buffalo made up for lost time by coming on hard and fast, and after Williams made an official visit to campus this past weekend, he decided to go ahead and make his commitment.
Why Buffalo? “Why not Buffalo?” Williams responded. “They were just showing me love. Out of all the schools that I was considering they were showing me the most love. I felt like home there when I took my official visit. I loved it.”
Williams expanded more on what he saw there with the Bulls. “The way that they play, their playing style, is the way that I play,” Williams said. “It’s fast paced, up-and-down, fast break basically. They get up a lot of shots and that’s the way that I like to play. And all the guys on the team, I connected with them really well. It was like a family.”
Naturally, Buffalo is a long way from Seattle – and the climate is different too. “I just have to make it my new home and get used to it,” Williams said. “And it’s just a plane ride home so I’m not really too worried about it. And (the cold) – I’m going to be playing basketball in the gym, I’m not playing football.”
An ultra athletic guard who can really get to the basket and create for others as well as himself, Williams knows he has room to improve and is ready to get to work this off-season.
“I’m just trying to get my body bigger – I’m getting into the weight room right now,” Williams said. “I also want to get my free throws and my jumper right. I’ve got to get used to the playing style as playing on the East Coast is different than playing on the West Coast. So I’ve got to get my game right most definitely.”
The commitment adds a cherry to what was an unbelievable year for Williams as he helped lead O’Dea to the 3A state title. He still gets choked up thinking about it. “It was a blessing and a dream come true,” Williams said. “I was having dreams of winning a state championship and I was telling my family about it… I don’t know, I’m at a loss for words honestly.”
Williams currenty ranks as the #9 player in the PrepHoops Washington Class of 2019 rankings.