Illinois freshman point guard Da’Monte Williams is expected to be cleared to return to action by September; Brad Underwood told FanRag Sports’ Jon Rothstein on Monday.
Williams tore his ACL this past high school season in December and was unsure as to when he'd be able to play at full speed.
A four-star prospect and the 37th overall point guard in the class of 2017 according to 247Sports, Williams is a 6-foot-2 tough-minded guard from Peoria Manual High School (IL). Williams committed to the Illini in February of 2016 when John Groce was at the helm and decided to stay despite all the changes around the program this offseason.
Williams likely being ready to go a good month or so before the start of the regular season is huge for this Illinois team.
This season, the Illini will have one of the most explosive backcourts in the Big Ten, mixed with youth and veteran talent. Mark Smith and Trent Frazier, two highly-touted freshman guards, will team-up with Williams to form a solid young backcourt trio who has the potential to do some damage their first season and the ones following.
In addition to the three freshmen, Illinois added the services of Wright State grad transfer Mark Alstork.
A 6-foot-5 shooting guard/wing player, Alstork is known for his scoring as he averaged 19 points and 3.5 assists last season while shooting 38.7 percent from three-point land.
Although he is listed as a point guard in various recruiting bases, Williams' strengths and play style is more to that of a shooting guard or off-ball guard.
At 6-foot-2, Williams is not the ideal height for a Big Ten shooting guard, but various aspects of his game prove he can become a weapon at both the point guard and shooting guard spot.
What makes Williams so good is how well-rounded of a player he is.
Starting with his ability to score, Williams knows how to put the ball and can do so at all three levels. Whether it be attacking the rim, jumper off the bounce, or set shot from behind the three-point line, Williams is a reliable scorer who fits in well with Brad Underwood's high-profile offensive system.
Another area on the offensive end where Williams excels is his passing ability. With his height, Williams will have a tougher time scoring the ball in college than he did in high school and on the AAU circuit. Plus, we won't be depended on to score as much considering he has other talented players around him who can hold their own in the scoring column.
If a more traditional point guard say, Trent Frazier or Te'Jon Lucas is unable to play for a particular reason, Williams possesses the foundation of an on-ball guard who knows how to run an offense and take control of a team.
Brad Underwood's motion offense consists of one big and four interchangeable guards. A combo guard like Williams is perfect for an offensive system like Underwood's which allows him to play according to his strengths and give him the freedom to both score and open up opportunities for teammates.