Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean received a commitment from ESPN 100 small forward Troy Williams on Sunday after offers from North Carolina, Louisville, Arkansas, Alabama and Ohio State.
“Coach Crean is a great coach,” Troy Williams said. “He didn’t tell me just what I was good at, but what I had to work on. Plus I really got along well with the other players that were committed while on my visit. We really got along well. My mom had a connection with Coach Crean, and the rest of my family supported me.”
The Hoosiers will add 6-foot-7 Williams, who is the 32nd-ranked player overall and the ninth-ranked small forward playing at Oak Hill Academy, to a stacked incoming 2013 class.
Crean has landed No. 57 shooting guard Stanford Robinson from national power Findlay Prep in Nevada, center Luke Fischer of Germantown, Wisconsin, and small forwards Devin Davis and Collin Hartman from Indiana.
Williams is an athletic athlete who terrifies his opponents in the open court where electrifies the crowd with his finishes. The stellar recruit has improved his shooting, ball handling, and passing skills, which he demonstrated as he scored a team-high 21 points Saturday as the Warriors routed Princeton Day School 99-54.
Williams consulted his mentor, uncle, and legendary AAU coach Boo Williams before making the decision to pick the Hoosiers. Boo was at Nike headquarters in Oregon when he received the phone call from his nephew.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for me to get home?” Boo said he asked Troy.
The answer was “no” and he proceeded to tell him that Indiana was his choice.
The visit to Indiana the weekend of Oct. 19 sealed his nephew’s fate to become a Hoosier.
“The visit did it,” Boo Williams said. “I am fine with Indiana. They did a great job with Troy, especially Tom Crean.”
Troy Williams added that Crean was not the only factor in his decision.
“I really loved the campus, everything was right there and the fans are crazy,” he said. “They have great support.”
Crean has been able to recruit well within the state of Indiana, but has extended his recruiting abilities outside the state to find and sign great talent. The signing of Williams proves what Crean is capable of for preseason No.1Hoosiers.
