Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

[twism]

SDSU men's basketball lands high-profile Canadian recruit
By Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
May 19, 2006

Still dealing with the loss of two top players, South Dakota State men’s basketball coach Scott Nagy has landed a high-profile Canadian recruit.

Kai Williams, from Saskatchewan, signed a Letter of Intent on Thursday to join the Jackrabbits this fall. He is the second Canadian player that SDSU has landed in the last two years. Guard Cam Hornby redshirted as a freshman this season.

“We are thrilled that Kai will be playing alongside Cam as well as the other talented players at SDSU,” Williams’ mother Karen wrote in an e-mail. “I think it is going to be a very exciting year for us, and we will be there at all the home games, I can assure you of that.”

A 6-foot-6, 175-pound wing player, Williams scored a game-high 20 points in the adidas All-Canadian Game in early April, then averaged 5.5 points and five rebounds for Team Canada in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Manheim, Germany.

Williams attends Campbell Collegiate in Regina, Ontario. He chose SDSU over Eastern Kentucky and the University of Regina in Canada, where his brother Jamal just completed his freshman season.

“I always wanted to try (American college hoops), but I didn’t know if I’d ever have the opportunity,” Williams told canada.com.

“It came down to the fact that (SDSU) is close to home, I’m comfortable there, and I’ll have a chance to get a lot of playing time in my first year.”

The Jackrabbits lost two key players – forwards Ben Beran and Steve Holdren – since the season ended.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

These Canadians sure do like their web sites:

http://www.williamsbasketball.com/

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

This is a great addition for the 'rabbits.

All-Canada player, leading scorer at all-star game.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Not bad stats from the addidas all-star game.

http://www.allcanadiangame.com/home.html

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Since Matt's tenure as a GA has ended at SDSU, I don't feel I'm betraying any confidences in passing on Matt's assessment of this kid.  

He feels he's as athletic as any 2 guard in the NBA right now.  Read that sentence again.  He's going to need to work on his intensity because generally Canadian ball is at a level below US ball in how intense you need to be on defense and just all around play.  However, this kid will be playing above the rim and will wow everyone with his athletic ability.  He also said that if this kid grew up in Chicago or even Toronto, we probably have no shot to get him.  If he grew up in Chicago, he'd be a high major D1 recruit.  Since he's from small town Canada, we were able to sneak in and grab him.  This is HUGE sign for us.  I'm psyched about this kid and can't wait to see him develop as a Jackrabbit.

I'll toot Matt's horn a little here and tell you that he and Larson spotted him while on a trip to Canada a couple months ago.  Matt called me on his way home from that trip and was already telling me about him at that point.  Athleticism is something our team is sorely missing and this kid will go a long way in helping in that category.

Conference home could be on its way, good recruits coming in for hoops and football right around the corner.  Not a bad day to be a Jacks fan.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Since Matt's tenure as a GA has ended at SDSU, I don't feel I'm betraying any confidences in passing on Matt's assessment of this kid.  

He feels he's as athletic as any 2 guard in the NBA right now.  Read that sentence again.  He's going to need to work on his intensity because generally Canadian ball is at a level below US ball in how intense you need to be on defense and just all around play.  However, this kid will be playing above the rim and will wow everyone with his athletic ability.  He also said that if this kid grew up in Chicago or even Toronto, we probably have no shot to get him.  If he grew up in Chicago, he'd be a high major D1 recruit.  Since he's from small town Canada, we were able to sneak in and grab him.  This is HUGE sign for us.  I'm psyched about this kid and can't wait to see him develop as a Jackrabbit.

I'll toot Matt's horn a little here and tell you that he and Larson spotted him while on a trip to Canada a couple months ago.  Matt called me on his way home from that trip and was already telling me about him at that point.  Athleticism is something our team is sorely missing and this kid will go a long way in helping in that category.

Conference home could be on its way, good recruits coming in for hoops and football right around the corner.  Not a bad day to be a Jacks fan.

Is this kid more athletic than Gilbert? They're about the same size and play the same positions.....

[jackmd]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

[quote author=MilwaukeeJacksAlum link=1148050803/0#4 date=1148056539].
Is this kid more athletic than Gilbert?  They're about the same size and play the same positions.....

I'd say yes and he has to be more fundamentally sound. Gilbert looked like some kid on a playground.

This is a HUGE get for Nagy. Kia is ready to step in and play right now at the 3 spot and can develop into a fill-in at 4. Rebounding and intensity can be drilled into his head. Time to update the roster.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Great job for Coach Nagy and let's not forget Coach Larson!!!

Keep the faith boys and girls, a couple more really good recruits and we can be back on our way!

SUPERBUNNY

[thebluehatman]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

he's a lil skinny, but if cadwell says the guy is suppose to be a stud then i will take caddys word on it. lets take the coaching staff to australia to recruit

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

[quote author=Rabbitlivinginverm link=1148050803/0#5 date=1148058690][quote author=MilwaukeeJacksAlum link=1148050803/0#4 date=1148056539].
Is this kid more athletic than Gilbert?  They're about the same size and play the same positions.....

I'd say yes and he has to be more fundamentally sound.  Gilbert looked like some kid on a playground.

This is a HUGE get for Nagy.  Kia is ready to step in and play right now at the 3 spot and can develop into a fill-in at 4.  Rebounding and intensity can be drilled into his head.  Time to update the roster.[/quote]

No offense MD, but I was looking for an opinion from someone who knows a little more about this kid. I would guess you and I know about the same from his website. MJA, does Wilbur have an opinion?? I do look for this kid to step in and fill a forward slot. He's way too small to play the 4 but it would seem like he's a good fit for the 3 spot. Man, we have a lot of guards.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

The comparison question never really came up. I'll ask Matt his opinion. He told me both times we talked at length about Williams that he was as athletic as any 2 guard in the NBA. I don't think he was just saying that to get a reaction because he was just another recruit when we first talked about him. Matt's watched alot of tape on players in his 2 years at SDSU and has been around alot of players, so I take that as a pretty big compliment on Williams' ability. He did stress that his intensity level would have to be cranked up a considerable notch, but that had more to do with the climate of Canadian basketball than his attitude or drive. Currently, Matt's wife is on the verge of popping with twin boys so he's a little preoccupied. I'll ask him when I talk to him this weekend and report accordingly.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Well, Coach Nagy has never been accused of lacking intensity so hopefully he'll catch on real quick.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

Williams Heading to South Dakota State University
Words: Star Ledger
Posted: 5/19/2006

http://www.hooplife.ca/fullarticle.a...;articleid=483

Kai Williams has decided to take a shot at American college basketball.

The Campbell Tartans basketball star -- a member of the national junior men's team -- has opted to attend South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D.

The University of Regina Cougars were hoping to recruit Williams, but his final decision came down to two American colleges. Eastern Kentucky University was the runner-up.

"I thought about it a lot,'' Williams said. "I wanted to stay here because of the coaching (of Cougars bench boss James Hillis) and the present players and the players coming in.

"I thought it through some more and realized that not many people get a chance to play college basketball in Canada, let alone the States. I always wanted to try (American college hoops), but I didn't know if I'd ever have the opportunity.''

Williams decided to seize that opportunity, having mulled over his future since the beginning of the 2005-06 Regina Intercollegiate Basketball League season.

"One day, I woke up and decided to give it a shot,'' he said in reference to the American option.

"I felt I owed it to myself to try it. For the last month, I was stuck with the idea of going to the States -- either Eastern Kentucky or South Dakota State.''

In March, Williams said in an interview that he was "60-40'' in favour of joining the Cougars. Those sentiments eventually changed.

"The biggest thing is that I was scared to leave home at first,'' he said. "I got over that and decided that I might as well give (American basketball) a shot.''

What tipped the scales in favour of South Dakota State?

"It came down to the fact that it is close to home, I'm comfortable there, and I'll have a chance to get a lot of playing time in my first year,'' Williams said.

"I'll definitely be more independent and mature a lot faster off the court. It's only an 11-hour drive, so it's not too far away from home.''

Williams' older brother, Jamal, recently completed his first season with the Cougars. He did not object to Kai's decision.

"He's all for it,'' the younger Williams said. "As long as I'm happy and I'm thinking things through, he's not trying to change my decision at all. He wants to play with me, but he still accepts the fact that I want to leave a little bit.''

Hillis was hoping to coach Williams for the second time. Williams starred for Team Saskatchewan, for which Hillis was the head coach, at the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina.

"I guess we're disappointed, but he has weighed all the factors and made a decision,'' Hillis said. "I hope it's the experience he wants it to be. He's a nice kid and I wish him well.''

South Dakota State is an NCAA Division I school. The SDS Jackrabbits moved up from the Division II ranks three years ago. SDS will be eligible for NCAA tournament play in two years, after a five-year probationary period expires. In the meantime, the Jackrabbits will be classified as an independent team.

[bub94]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

This is good news for the Jacks. Be looking forward to watching the two Canadian players on the court together for the next 4 years.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Jacks Land Canadian Recruit

lets take the coaching staff to australia to recruit

If you want I can whisper into some players here at the Australian Institue of Sport about SDSU. The players here at the Institue also played in the same tournament in Germany (Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Manheim, Germany) as Kai Williams played in. The Australians came in at 9th place, the Canadian team at 15th place, and the USA team finished at 7th place.