Jacksonville junior pledges to IU

Six Class of 2009 recruits will officially join the team in June, but IU men’s basketball coach Tom Crean already has one verbal commitment for the following year: junior David Williams.

A 6-foot-7 recruit from Jacksonville, Fla., Williams announced his intention to play for the Hoosiers on Wednesday.

Williams averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists this year at First Coast High School.

Crean and assistant coach Roshown McLeod – once Williams’ AAU coach with the Atlanta Celtics – saw Williams work out Wednesday at his high school gym.

Though NCAA rules permitted coaches to make “in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations” between April 17 and 22, Crean and McLeod were not permitted to speak with Williams at his school. After they left, Williams called Crean and was offered a scholarship.

Later that night, Williams spoke with his parents, and the 17-year-old committed to the Hoosiers. Williams’s father said it was a “family decision.”

“We were all in agreement that this was a good opportunity for him,” Dwight Williams said.

The younger Williams said he chose the Hoosiers despite interest from Miami, South Carolina and Clemson, among others.

Williams has yet to see the Bloomington campus. In fact, he has never been to the state of Indiana.

Though IU has been highly involved with four-star recruit Kyrie Irving, among other Class of 2010 prospects, Williams fell under the radar, and his name never surfaced in IU recruiting talks until the news of his commitment broke Wednesday night.

But Williams said IU has recruited him since the Reebok Summer Championships AAU event last July.

Though he says he is a 6-foot-7 and 200-pound wing, Williams can play several positions. His father said he likes playing anywhere from the point guard position to small forward, but IU’s newest commit said he believes he could see some time in the post when he joins the Hoosiers.

“(Crean) said the wing, but I’m pretty sure I’ll probably get some down-low action as well because I get pretty physical, and I’m pretty sure I can guard the majority of big men,” Williams said regarding his future role with IU.

Williams said the strong points of his game are “getting to the hole” and “making good plays,” while his father said he sees the floor well, can read and attack the defense and passes well.

The tradition at IU was a factor in Williams’ decision, but Williams said Crean played a major role as well.

“He was telling me some stuff about what I need to work on and all that, so I am taking that as constructive criticism,” Williams said. “The whole program as a whole, I feel like I can fit in with the style of play because Indiana is known for big guards like Eric Gordon and people like that.”

Though Williams has flown under the radar so far – he’s a two-star recruit according to Scout.com and is unranked by Rivals.com – he hopes to show off his talents this summer on the AAU circuit. He also is planning to make it to Bloomington in mid-June.

“First thing over summer, as soon as school gets out,” he said.