(https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://zonazealots.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1074426614.jpeg)
Brandon Williams out for the season after undergoing surgery. The news is officially out, so we can now talk about it. He should be back and ready to go by for next season.
https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1159243800763621377
Update
https://twitter.com/playersprogramu/status/1159256332232359937
This sucks big blow to the team, I guess next man up hopefully a mix of Hazzard D Smith and Doutrive can fill his shoes...maybe this is a blessing in disguise that Nico and Josh should have major scoring roles now.
BWill and the UofA were not going to put this news out until they had to at the Red and Blue game, but the news of Williams surgery leaked and now it's out. He was dealing with side-effects from the surgery he had in high school.
He will be back next season.
Dang. Would be nice to have Barcello right now.
Is he planning to return after a redshirt year or will his recovery time determine future plans?
[hide login=1]BWILL did not want this news out there yet. He messaged me when I wished him good luck upon learning he was exploring his options after injuring his knee a couple of months ago and it was clear he wouldn't play this season. He's mostly worried about any news coming out and how it will affect his future pro career. [/hide]
Added statements from Miller & BWILL above.
This always sucks for any scholarship kid, an entire year...hope the best for him.
I think this might actually make us better. We have plenty of depth at guard and more viable big men this year, so some minutes can be used by them. Baker adds even more in practice... even without Barcello or Williams - this is still one of the deepest guard rotations we have had.
Mannion, Green, Smith, Hazzard and Doutrive. That is a pretty impressive lineup if Green and Mannon ar as advertised. Smith is not going to the NBA, but he's solid senior, would start for most any non-elite team int he country. Hazzard is a known quantity and again highly experienced and Doutrive has talent, energy and upside. Honestly, we don't need anyone else. Even, god forbid, another injury will not doom us.
This should also slow down the substitution rate (theoretically) which, IMO, has always prevented Miller's players from getting into or staying in a groove. Leave Doutrive in for more than 3 minutes at a time and see what happens.
Again, want the very best for Williams and hope he comes back next year, but this will not change a single game in the coming season.
Sorry to hear this news officially.
Glad he will be back next year, hoping for a full recovery.
Thanks for the update WILD.
Even though we saw this coming still tough to hear. One of the few guys on this roster that truly bleeds red and blue, and a quality player on the court wish him the very best. Also glad to hear he plans on coming back next year we will definitely need him.
This totally explains why BWill was the only player without an updated pic on the online roster. He could be our PG next after redshirting this season.
For the record, Arizona still has the 16th BEST odds of winning the championship per checking most major sports books (Futures line UNCHANGED).
The odds have not changed at all since this news about B Will nor when Terry Armstrong's news of not being eligible and going abroad came to surface.
SO on a POSITIVE note, the oddsmakers have HIGH confidence in our potential!!!!
Hopefully this is the last time Bill has to deal with this knee.
I think this will only make them stronger without adversity there would be no challenge.
This is the saddest of times in College basketball...to have a very talented player, a dedicated player, who is also a decent young man...with hopes and dreams, and they get injured. Their world is turned upside down. They don't know if they'll ever be able to do what they've worked on for sometimes most of their lives. To see that happen to one of these young men is just heartbreaking.
The only thing that can take away all that sadness is to watch them heal up and return. To see the sparkle in their eyes when they're back on the court doing what they love and playing like there's no tomorrow...which comes from life teaching them at such a young age that in an instant, tomorrow can disappear for them. And yet they come back, willing to risk that very outcome...for the joy of making their dreams a reality.
I hope and pray that B-Will will come back, play his heart out and take his game to the highest level...and make it to the place he's dreamed of for most of his life.
Best wishes for you B-Will...AND BEAR DOWN WILDCAT!
https://twitter.com/BrucePascoe/status/1159291907828097026
Sucks but $10 B Will comes back better than ever. Kid has too much talent and the perfect disposition for dealing with something like this and coming out stronger on the other side. Bear Down B Will! Nico and J Green will hold it down while you are out!
I'd LOVE to see B-Will come back in 2020-21 and be the leader of this team. Good luck on the recovery, kid...best wishes from the entire Arizona fanbase!
Well we knew something was going on, so I am not surprised he is gone for the season. This of course is much different that an injury since it is an on going congenital condition of the knee. I hope that they were able to change something in that condition so he can come back and play next year. I got to sit next to his mom and dad at the UCLA game last year and they are a wonderful family. I wish him all the best and hope like all of our Wildcat family that he will come back strong next year.
Yes we all had our suspicions about BWill and now we know for sure, it is a blow to this years team but he will definitely be the leader of next years team. I will keep him in my prayers, as I too had health issues and had to take time off to recover. But my resolve and I know his as well be much stronger! Things happen for reason, even if it is a setback, but sometimes we have to take a step back to move forward. Life is funny like that, and it can be unfair, but like the saying goes; if it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger.
BTFD BWill and we are all behind you and cannot wait to see you run the court next year!
Thankfully he gets free school and can choose any major he wants as well as focus on it as much has he wants. So lets see what he does with the opportunity.
It's a big blow to this team but more importantly I hope his knee heels an he can come back an play next year.
Losing Brandon Williams to knee surgery for the season is a big blow. I look forward to having Nico and Josh join Chase in the starting lineup, hope Stone and Zeke will make meaningful contributions, am excited to see Doutrive earn more playing time, and believe Ira gives us a different look upfront than our other bigs.
But we'll now go only as far as Nico takes us. His health is paramount. When he sits, our most likely backups at point guard are two guys, Hazzard and Smith, who committed more turnovers than assists over their past three active seasons -- Hazzard at UC-Irvine and Smith at Arizona and UNC-Asheville. And with all due respect to the quality of play in the Big West and Big South, it's not the Pac-12. Hazzard, in particular, played off the ball in AAU and at UC-Irvine, I doubt he or Smith - in their fifth year in college - morph into elite ball-handlers or facilitators. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Alternatives are to try Josh at point guard, or to run the offense through Stone, as did Cornell. Either may be viable -- but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Nico's health/strength (to enable him to play the entire season and postseason) and conditioning (to enable him to play 32-40 minutes a game).
Quote from: iowajake on August 08, 2019, 11:15:58 AM
Losing Brandon Williams to knee surgery for the season is a big blow. I look forward to having Nico and Josh join Chase in the starting lineup, hope Stone and Zeke will make meaningful contributions, am excited to see Doutrive earn more playing time, and believe Ira gives us a different look upfront than our other bigs.
But we'll now go only as far as Nico takes us. His health is paramount. When he sits, our most likely backups at point guard are two guys, Hazzard and Smith, who committed more turnovers than assists over their past three active seasons -- Hazzard at UC-Irvine and Smith at Arizona and UNC-Asheville. And with all due respect to the quality of play in the Big West and Big South, it's not the Pac-12. Hazzard, in particular, played off the ball in AAU and at UC-Irvine, I doubt he or Smith - in their fifth year in college - morph into elite ball-handlers or facilitators. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Alternatives are to try Josh at point guard, or to run the offense through Stone, as did Cornell. Either may be viable -- but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Nico's health/strength (to enable him to play the entire season and postseason) and conditioning (to enable him to play 32-40 minutes a game).
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/max-hazzard-1.html
Over the past three seasons at UC Irvine, Max Hazard had 188 Assists and 137 turnovers. So he did NOT commit more turnovers than assists. He is also a sharpshooter, a 2 guard and not a PG, so why don't we compare him to Salim Stoudamire? Salim, in four years at Arizona, DID have more turnovers (262) than assists (256). Point being that we did not need Salim to pass, we needed him to shoot.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/dylan-smith-1.html
Dylan Smith does have more turnovers than assists but the biggest disparity was as a freshmen at UNC Asheville, his numbers are greatly improved at AZ.
Doutrive, BTW, had 18 assists and 17 turnovers last year - not exactly PG material either.
None of these guys should ever be a starting point guard but they are perfectly competent players and for a few minutes of Nico rest would be fine handling the ball.
Again, Nico playing more minutes will make us better. Miller won't be able to substitute him out when he gets hot 9probably will anyway) and IF he is as good as people say, then Williams or anyone else is a huge step down at PG anyway. Not much difference between Doutrive or Smith or Hazard and Williams when compared to Mannion.
Not sure about the conferences being worse than the PAC12...was anyone actually worse than the PAC12 last year!? ;D
My bad re Hazzard. And his assist to turnover ratio of 1.37 is similar to that of Kyle Fogg -- who was an effective passer and facilitator off the ball.
Quote from: iowajake on August 08, 2019, 11:15:58 AM
Losing Brandon Williams to knee surgery for the season is a big blow. I look forward to having Nico and Josh join Chase in the starting lineup, hope Stone and Zeke will make meaningful contributions, am excited to see Doutrive earn more playing time, and believe Ira gives us a different look upfront than our other bigs.
But we'll now go only as far as Nico takes us. His health is paramount. When he sits, our most likely backups at point guard are two guys, Hazzard and Smith, who committed more turnovers than assists over their past three active seasons -- Hazzard at UC-Irvine and Smith at Arizona and UNC-Asheville. And with all due respect to the quality of play in the Big West and Big South, it's not the Pac-12. Hazzard, in particular, played off the ball in AAU and at UC-Irvine, I doubt he or Smith - in their fifth year in college - morph into elite ball-handlers or facilitators. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Alternatives are to try Josh at point guard, or to run the offense through Stone, as did Cornell. Either may be viable -- but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Nico's health/strength (to enable him to play the entire season and postseason) and conditioning (to enable him to play 32-40 minutes a game).
I think Hazzard is a capable ball handler at the very least. In a situation where Nico is injured or fouls out he takes over ball-handling duties and Josh Green (underrated play-maker) takes over the half-court offense. Not ideal but it should get the job done.
Quote from: iowajake on August 08, 2019, 11:53:03 AM
My bad re Hazzard. And his assist to turnover ratio of 1.37 is similar to that of Kyle Fogg -- who was an effective passer and facilitator off the ball.
I think Foggs numbers were dramatically different at the end of his career vs. the beginning.
https://twitter.com/JavierJMorales/status/1159603222010617862
These last 10 years have been tough and for sure this BWill situation brought back all those Ray Smith /Bash memories.
I don't want to say the C word but we for sure have not have the best luck with injuries or circumstance for that matter
They can't get caught up in all this and just need to use as fuel.
Honestly though can't bring myself to read that article lol
Hopefully Miller has a 3 guard lineup of Nico Max and Doutrive at certain points, all 3 being good ball handlers. Max being the shooter he is and Doutrives ability to slash should be deadly for teams. Also having Ira set a pick and roll for Nico with Zeke being able to step out for 3 could be a killer lineup.
Quote from: Liquidated on August 08, 2019, 11:34:25 AM
Quote from: iowajake on August 08, 2019, 11:15:58 AM
Losing Brandon Williams to knee surgery for the season is a big blow. I look forward to having Nico and Josh join Chase in the starting lineup, hope Stone and Zeke will make meaningful contributions, am excited to see Doutrive earn more playing time, and believe Ira gives us a different look upfront than our other bigs.
But we'll now go only as far as Nico takes us. His health is paramount. When he sits, our most likely backups at point guard are two guys, Hazzard and Smith, who committed more turnovers than assists over their past three active seasons -- Hazzard at UC-Irvine and Smith at Arizona and UNC-Asheville. And with all due respect to the quality of play in the Big West and Big South, it's not the Pac-12. Hazzard, in particular, played off the ball in AAU and at UC-Irvine, I doubt he or Smith - in their fifth year in college - morph into elite ball-handlers or facilitators. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Alternatives are to try Josh at point guard, or to run the offense through Stone, as did Cornell. Either may be viable -- but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Nico's health/strength (to enable him to play the entire season and postseason) and conditioning (to enable him to play 32-40 minutes a game).
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/max-hazzard-1.html
Over the past three seasons at UC Irvine, Max Hazard had 188 Assists and 137 turnovers. So he did NOT commit more turnovers than assists. He is also a sharpshooter, a 2 guard and not a PG, so why don't we compare him to Salim Stoudamire? Salim, in four years at Arizona, DID have more turnovers (262) than assists (256). Point being that we did not need Salim to pass, we needed him to shoot.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/dylan-smith-1.html
Dylan Smith does have more turnovers than assists but the biggest disparity was as a freshmen at UNC Asheville, his numbers are greatly improved at AZ.
Doutrive, BTW, had 18 assists and 17 turnovers last year - not exactly PG material either.
None of these guys should ever be a starting point guard but they are perfectly competent players and for a few minutes of Nico rest would be fine handling the ball.
Again, Nico playing more minutes will make us better. Miller won't be able to substitute him out when he gets hot 9probably will anyway) and IF he is as good as people say, then Williams or anyone else is a huge step down at PG anyway. Not much difference between Doutrive or Smith or Hazard and Williams when compared to Mannion.
Not sure about the conferences being worse than the PAC12...was anyone actually worse than the PAC12 last year!? ;D
Good news is we still have a talented team we have less depth can not afford to have anyone else out.
I agree that Smith will see added minutes due to BWILL being out at the start of the season. I'm hoping Miller does not hesitate to put DD in instead of Smith if he proves to be more valuable. I think we can all agreee that DD was already better than Smith last year, but we all know that Miller does not give unheralded freshman very many minutes if he doesn't have to. Sophmores under Miller always get a lot more minutes then they did as freshman.
A perfect example would be Gabe York. He played just 5 minutes a game his freshman year & that jumped to 21 minutes a game his sophmore year. Devonaire played 11 minutes a game his freshman year and his time should double this season.
Smith on the other hand played 24 minutes a game last year, but that was in a down season where we had much less talent & BWill was injured the 2nd half of the season. I expect Smith's minutes to go down as the season progresses & DD's to go up.
Quote from: WILDcatAZfan on August 08, 2019, 05:33:44 PM
https://twitter.com/JavierJMorales/status/1159603222010617862
Great article...although when you have to go back 45 years to find only a handful of truly impactful injuries...I do not think it fits a 'injuries have been an issue' narrative.
Kerr did miss an entire year but that team, even with Kerr, was not going anywhere anyway. The injury to Wise and of Triers hand also had little to no impact on the W-L record or tournament run.
Jefferson's ankle was a huge deal because of what an amazing player he was, but we won every game we played without him and he returned before the tournament.
Gotta feel for Smith, but since he never really contributed much anyway, it's hard to miss what you never had. Parrom, of course, was just sheer stupidity, felt bad for him, and had he been 100% we might have made a the final four.
Arenas mattered big time...we win that game had he been healthy (Of course with fair officiating we win that game by 20 points whether Arenas was healthy or not).
Loren Woods deserved a medical redshirt year and had he played in this era, he would have had it. If he had returned and Arenas, Jefferson and Wright had returned - it is one of the greatest, if not THE greatest team in NCAA history.
I think what's sad about b.will missing all of the year is nico an b.will will never play together they would have been one heck of a backcourt an the defenses would have a hard time defending them both it's sad but that's how it works in for some players there bodys dont hold up I hope brandans knee holds next year he can play an be effective I can't imagine that there is anything else they can do for him except tell him to retire from basketball if this does not work.
This is a message for everyone who is saying BWill won't play again.
(https://i.ibb.co/QFmCLTF/20190810-173032.jpg)
I am glad he is motivated an he has that drive that he wants to get on the court you can see b.will loves the game.