Former Wilcox-Central standout to leave Longhorns’ basketball team

By George L. Jones

The Selma Times-Journal

In a statement released by the University of Texas basketball team Monday, coach Rick Barnes announced sophomore forward Mike Williams would transfer to another school.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pound native of Camden averaged 2.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 32 games played this past season.

Williams declined to comment after being reached by phone Monday afternoon.

Barnes wished Williams success in his endeavors elsewhere.

“We appreciate the work and effort Mike has put in with our basketball program the last two years, and we wish him the best,” Barnes stated.

Williams averaged 27 points and 15 rebounds over the span of his last two years at Wilcox-Central High. He led the Jaguars to a 5A state championship his junior season and was twice named Alabama’s Player of the Year.

An Academic All-Big 12 Second Team selection after the end of the 2005-06 season, Williams logged 13.6 minutes per contest for the Longhorns. He registered two double-digit scoring efforts this season, one against Texas Pan-American (10) and against Louisiana-Monroe (12).

He scored nine points and had seven rebounds in the Longhorns’ third-round win over West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament.

Williams’ college career got off to a rocky start. During his freshman season, the NCAA investigated the relationship between his family and his former AAU coach, Mark Komara.

The incident cost Williams the first five games of the season. He went on to play in 26 games that year, averaging 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.