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Illinois Basketball: Rerating every Illini recruit from the 2010s

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – MARCH 08: Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Da’Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini face off during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – MARCH 08: Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Da’Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini face off during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

21. Da’Monte Williams (Old: 3-star/0.8937 – New: 3-star/0.8853)

There was a transition for the Illinois basketball team after the 2016-17 campaign. John Groce was let go and Brad Underwood stepped into the head coaching position. Underwood had to keep the current class of 2017 intact. One of those players was Da’Monte Williams.

Williams was a 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard coming out of Manual High School and residing in Peoria, Illinois. He was rated as a three-star recruit who was the No. 177 player in the class of 2017 and the No. 34 point guard in the nation. He also had a composite rating of 0.8937.

Illinois’ recruitment of Williams was tough. Indiana became a real player with Williams, but Underwood was able to hold on to the legacy recruit.

Williams has now spent three years with Illinois and will be entering his senior season this winter. While he hasn’t been great offensively, his defensive prowess is something that keeps this kid on the court. Williams has been able to start 43 games over his first three years. In the time he has seen on the court, he has averaged 3.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

I remember Williams was once a top 70 recruit, but an injury derailed his senior season in high school. He still entered the Illinois program as a three-star with a rating of 0.8937. I would slightly lower that to a three-star with a rating of 0.8853, though.

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