Mark Williams (basketball)

Mark Oluwafemi Williams (born December 16, 2001) is an American college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He was a five-star and four-star recruit and one of the best centers in the 2020 class. He finished his high school career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Mark Williams
No. 15 – Duke Blue Devils
PositionCenter
LeagueAtlantic Coast Conference
Personal information
Born (2001-12-16) December 16, 2001
Norfolk, Virginia
NationalityAmerican
Listed height7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeDuke (commit)
Career highlights and awards

High school career

Williams began his high school basketball career at Norfolk Academy. He was invited to the NBA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Virginia in the summer of 2018. Williams passed the 1,000 point threshold in February 2019.[1] As a junior, he averaged 19.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game to help the Bulldogs reach the VISAA state tournament. He was selected to the USA Today All-USA Virginia Boys Basketball second team.[2] During the 2019 Nike EYBL, Williams averaged 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 63.8% from the floor. During the Nike Peach Jam in July 2019, Williams averaged 23.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 76.0 percent in two games for the Boo Williams program.[3] Coming into his senior season, he transferred to IMG Academy, which finished the previous season as the GEICO Nationals champions.[4] Williams was named a 2020 McDonald's All-American.[5] On January 31, 2020, he posted 19 points and 16 rebounds in a 64-62 win over Hillcrest Prep.[6]

Recruiting

Williams was ranked the No. 5 center in the ESPN 100 and No. 30 overall in his class. On November 1, 2019, Williams committed to Duke, choosing the Blue Devils over Michigan and UCLA after taking official visits to all three schools.[3] Williams chose Duke in large part due to the possibility for a national championship, and said he wants to pattern his game after Wendell Carter Jr.[7]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Mark Williams
C		 Virginia Beach, VA IMG Academy (FL) 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (100 kg) Nov 1, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 89
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 30  247Sports: 17  ESPN: 32
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Duke 2020 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  • "2020 Duke Blue Devils Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 16, 2020.

    Personal life

    Williams' older sister, Elizabeth, played college basketball at Duke from 2011 to 2015 before being selected fourth in the 2015 WNBA draft.[3]

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    References
    1. Epstein, Nathan (February 13, 2019). "Mark Williams soaring as one of the most sought-after recruits in America". WAVY. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    2. Frankenberry, Jami (November 1, 2019). "Former Norfolk Academy basketball star Mark Williams commits to Duke". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    3. Borzello, Jeff (November 1, 2019). "Top-5 center Mark Williams announces commitment to Duke". ESPN. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    4. Jordan, Jason (July 19, 2019). "Elite center Mark Williams will transfer to IMG Academy". USA Today. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    5. "Former Norfolk Academy center Mark Williams gains invitation to McDonald's All-American Game". Daily Press. January 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    6. Koelble, Tim (January 31, 2020). "Montverde, IMG reach SJIT final". The Herald-Mail. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
    7. Williams, Mark (November 1, 2019). "The Mark Williams Blog: This is why I chose Duke..." USA Today. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
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