From redshirt to revelation: How TJ Williams is making the most of his chances
It took all of seven seconds for T.J. Williams to show exactly why Wichita State’s coaching staff has been buzzing about his potential.
Playing just his second career game on Saturday, the redshirt-freshman forward pulled down a defensive rebound, kept the ball himself and immediately pushed the pace. Guards sprinted ahead — they knew he didn’t need an outlet.
It didn’t take long after Williams crossed half court for him to spot Karon Boyd cutting toward the rim. He zipped a perfect pass for a dunk. One possession, coast to coast, and the Shockers were rolling on their way to a 105-62 victory over Prairie View A&M at Koch Arena.
“My ability to dribble, pass and do a lot of the things that a point guard can do in this frame is a plus for me,” Williams said. “The guards don’t see me as a (forward). They see me as one of them. When I get a rebound, no one comes and claps for the ball. They let me work.”
The Wichita native’s playmaking from the forward spot could give WSU’s offense a new dimension this season. It certainly did on Saturday with his all-around performance — 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals — helping the Shockers improve to 2-0 this season.
How T.J. Williams is capitalizing on an opening
Williams’ emergence has been one of the early storylines for Wichita State, which has been without starting forward Jaret Valencia, sidelined with a minor groin injury.
The plan was for Williams to bridge the gap in the starting lineup until Valencia’s return, expected next week against Loyola Chicago, but the way the redshirt freshman has played, Mills might have a decision to make.
Given the chance, the former Wichita Heights star has made the most of it.
“I already got the jitters out last game,” Williams said. “So just coming in with full confidence with my guys behind me and just ready to rock out.”
That confidence showed from the opening tip on Saturday.
When the offense briefly stagnated in the opening minute, the ball swung to Williams with plenty of time left on the shot clock. Instead of deferring to an older teammate, he saw an open lane and attacked. He lowered his shoulder, drew contact and earned two free throws. Williams finished 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in notching his first career double-double.
“We knew they were going to be fanned out, and they want you to play one on one,” Mills said. “They don’t want to give up assisted buckets, so that allowed T.J. to get downhill.”
Former Wichita Heights star gives Shockers a versatile weapon
Williams’ performance underscored what makes him unique in Mills’ system.
At 6-foot-5 and 207 pounds, he can guard opposing power forwards on one end, then morph into a point guard on the other. It’s a skill honed during his days as the lead ball handler at Wichita Heights, where he learned to read defenses and make plays off the dribble.
Late in the first half on Saturday, Mills even had Williams operate as the team’s de facto point guard at times. On one possession, Williams used a high ball screen to attack the middle of the defense. Instead of forcing something, he remained patient. And when the defense collapsed, Williams kicked out to Karon Boyd, who drilled the triple — plus the foul.
A four-point play, all created by Williams’ vision.
Williams’ rebounding numbers were perhaps as telling as his assists. After grabbing just two boards in his college debut, assistant coach Josh Eilert challenged him in practice to be more assertive on the glass. Williams responded with 11 rebounds Saturday, including five on the offense end.
Preparation meets opportunity for T.J. Williams on WSU
Williams’ seamless transition to playing a key role for the Shockers isn’t an accident.
Last season, during his redshirt season, he endured some of the toughest practices of his young career. Mills pushed him hard on the scout team, seeing both potential and maturity.
“There’s been a million studies on how people learn, and if it’s too easy, you lose interest and if it’s too hard, you get frustrated and you quit,” Mills said. “So about 20% of the things they go through has to be hard. With T.J., I would tell you to forget 20% and tell you about 75% of the things last year for T.J. were hard.”
The result: a freshman who plays with composure beyond his experience.
Senior guard Kenyon Giles remembers seeing that poise months ago in summer pickup games, when defensive bulldog Dre Kindell tried to rattle Williams. Instead, the freshman handled the pressure like a veteran.
If there is one nitpick, Mills said he would still like to see Williams learn some of the veteran tricks to protecting his dribble against Division I defenders.
But for now, the Shockers are 2-0 and their freshman fill-in has turned an early season opportunity into a compelling audition for something more permanent.
“He’s got to get better at taking away other people’s angles,” Mills said. “We went through this quite a bit after the Drake (scrimmage). He had opportunities and he wouldn’t get in the line of the (defender) and people were able to make plays on the basketball. So he’s got a long ways to go, he’s got to get better. But he’s got a really high ceiling.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2025 at 5:58 AM.
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