What Williams IV’s Return Means for Baylor Basketball This Offseason & Moving Forward
Basketball expert Ashley Hodge analyzes Isaac Williams IV’s return and what it means for the rest of the roster this offseason.
Yesterday afternoon, sophomore point guard Isaac Williams IV announced that he’s signing a two-year deal to finish his collegiate career in Waco. Let’s start with what your initial thoughts are, plus where you think Williams IV fits into the roster next year?
Ashley: First, I think this is the right decision because the better teams in college basketball have at least three rotation players who were on the roster the previous year. It’s hard to compete for championships when you are trying to integrate all new pieces.
Second, Isaac Williams IV has a reputation as the hardest worker on the team. The work that he has put in is evident in his shooting. He went from shooting 45% from the free-throw line as a freshman at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to 69% as a sophomore at Baylor. His 3-point percentage jumped from 23% as a freshman to 48% against better competition as a sophomore.
Third, he’s a Big 12 athlete. He has a burst that cannot be taught. He’s able to get in the paint to score or distribute. I would bet his improvement on offense and defense will continue, as he combines a work ethic with athletic ability.
Where does he fit into the roster next year? I think WAY too much is made over whether he’s the starting PG, a dual starting PG or coming off the bench as a sixth man. Who cares? All that matters is whether he will play 25-plus minutes per game and be a key piece in Baylor’s team next year. I believe the answer to that is a resounding “yes.”
He will need to have a great offseason. He needs to improve his decision-making and instincts as a scoring guard who must also read defenses and make the right basketball play to help his team win. His advanced offensive analytic numbers are strong (119.8 KenPom rating).
His defense needs improvement (-0.2 defensive rating on EvanMiya). Hopefully, surrounding him with better defenders will be a “rising tide lifts all boats” situation. Upperclassmen tend to be better defenders than underclassmen. I expect he will improve a lot on that side of the ball.
