Pokes Report Q&A with New Basketball Signee Donovan Williams
The recruiting was fast and furious, even if it didn't include travel and face-to-face contact down the stretch heading into the start of the late signing period on April 15. Oklahoma State and Mike Boynton saw their recruiting class rank and prowess rise as high to number four with one recruiting website. Oklahoma State got a key possible final piece to the puzzle when Lincoln (North Star H.S.), Neb. shooting guard Donovan Williams announced his commitment to the Cowboys on the Sports Illustrated/Maven network.
The 6-5, 190-pound physical scorer that can post up, defend a variety of guards and even wings, and averaged 28.3-points and 8.1 rebounds during his senior season, Williams had de-committed early from Nebraska and chose Oklahoma State over Kansas State.
Head coach Mike Boynton worked hard for Williams and admitted before the in-person, off-campus, or on-campus recruiting ban that he had nearly memorized the drive from Stillwater to Lincoln.
Asked in a Zoom conference this week how much of the recruiting was Boynton and how much was from other signees in the class like top-ranked Cade Cunnungham, Boynton was quick to answer.
"I don't want to get into any individual conversations because I will let them speak to that at some point," Boynton started. "Donovan and I had pretty consistent communication during the whole process. Basically, he was down to us and K-State at the end. I know Texas was listed, but it was us and K-State for the last week. I think he went back and forth through the whole time and at sometime felt I want to do this for these reasons, but this is the absolute best decision. I think that is where it go to and I think our relation was a big part of that. I was a major part of recruiting all of these guys."
That certainly fits with what Williams had to say in out conversation that first was heard on Triple Play Sports Radio the day after signing day.
PR: Let's start with this. Do you go by Donovan or do you have a nickname?
DW: People call me Donny. D-O-N-N-Y.
PR: I wanted to get that straight because a good friend of mine, Dave Hunziker, the voice of the Cowboys is going to want to know because he will be calling your name alot the next several years.
DW: Yeah, for sure, for sure.
PR: You were committed to Nebraska early. You de-committed and were being recruited by these other schools and then with the COVID-19 all of a sudden you couldn't visit the schools and they couldn't come see you. How weird did this get down the stretch?
DW: Man, it got real weird in terms of not knowing what's next. You know it was kind of a toss up, especially when the pandemic started because there were no visits and coaches couldn't come see me and it all kind of got shut down, but I think in the end it worked out.
PR: What was the overwhelming reason that you decided on Oklahoma State?
DW: You know just the relationship with Coach (Boynton). I don't think it would have been right if I wasn't playing for him. I could really picture it after the first couple of times meeting him and being around each other, It had to be me and him. I couldn't picture myself playing college ball for anybody other than him and in the end that is what it really came down to. You know there were some other small factors like getting to play together with Cade (Cunningham) and Rondel (Walker), Ferron (Flavors Jr.) and Matthew (Alexander Moncrieffe). That was also a big thing, but it came down to coach.
PR: As you watched the Oklahoma State team this season and the way they rebounded from the struggles they had early in the Big 12 season that had an impact on your decision, right?
DW: I paid close attention. A team like that, they played with their coach's heart on their sleeve. The coach's love for the game kind of motivates some players. Other players are completely different and they are opposite of how their coach is. This team you could tell they had their coach's enthusiasm for the game. They knew maybe they couldn't make the (NCAA) tournament, but still had some good wins at the end. You could tell they had a lot of heart and they included Isaac (Likekele).
PR: Your numbers this season were awesome and you were coming off an injury from last season in AAU ball, so describe yourself as a player?
DW: A lot of heart and since a young age I've been a fierce competitor at anything I do, cards, dominoes, everything. That is the first thing I want to do when I get to Stillwater is win. I don't focus as much on myself. From the jump I want to get used to my teammates and use to the coaches and then we go from there. You know step one is winning. I can bring a lot of scoring and a lot of shooting ability from the outside with Cade (Cunningham). Help Issac with driving inside and helping to break the defense down. I think I spread the floor real well, but I think that I'm an underrated driver. That was my whole game before mu injury and I'm getting closer and that will be a whole new game for me when I get that back.
PR: You were able to visit Oklahoma State and you saw Gallagher-Iba Arena. There is so much new like the locker rooms and everything for the players, but then it is like playing in one of those old basketball cathedrals.
DW: That is exactly what I was going to say. Like you were saying it has an old look but it is all new. The locker rooms are all new and so nice and you can tell a lot of money was put into those. The arena is awesome and has an old look to it like a movie gym. It has bright lights and everybody is looking down on the court and it is a big bowl. I'm just ready to get it cracking in there.
PR: How hard has this sequestering of the COVID-19 pandemic?
DW: "I'm very fortunate that I can get into my church and they have a gym in there, so I can work on my game. There's a key left there, so I can get in there sometimes twice a day and get a lot of shots up and stay in rhythm. The gym that I actually lift at is open. There are a lot of policies there you know like 10 people per area and I'm able to get in there everyday for lifting and getting stronger so that I will be ready to go from day one.
I've got a feeling with this young man that there is truth in advertising. I think Donovan Williams will come in ready to make an impression day one.
