Syracuse basketball five-star commit Benny Williams is ‘opening up eyes’

Syracuse basketball 2021 five-star commit Benny Williams is having a strong senior year to date for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he transferred to, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, from the St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md.

The 6-foot-8 forward, as we’ve detailed on more than one occasion, has reached five-star status according to both the 247Sports Composite and Rivals.com, the latter of which ranks him No. 15 nationally in the 2021 cycle.

In a recent evaluation from 247Sports director of basketball scouting Jerry Meyer on Williams, Meyer had this to say about the future Orange player.

"“Has positive length for a combo forward. Is thin, however, and needs to build up mass and strength. A high leaper with athleticism. Can struggle to utilize athleticism against contact and while in traffic. Has a great shooters touch. Finishes well on the move going to the basket. Is a reliable three-point shooter. Has potential to really extend his range. Not necessarily a nifty ball handler, but Williams is a reliable handler and can see the floor and distribute while on the move. Is a straight line driver who likes to utilize a crossover early in the drive. Has potential has a versatile defender and overall rebounder. Developing physical strength and toughness is vital.”"

Syracuse basketball 2021 commit Benny Williams is honing his craft all the time.

Chad Myers, Williams’ head coach at the IMG Academy, recently spoke with Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com, and he has a lot of positive things to say about Williams.

"When Ditota asked Myers about how Williams has played in recent weeks, Myers said, “Everything’s good. Obviously, the team is doing really well. And I think every time out he’s showing his improvement and opening up eyes. A lot of it is, I think he’s getting better. He’s stronger, getting better playing on the perimeter consistently. Here’s another thing: He didn’t play in the spring or summer (Covid shut down EYBL), so a lot of people had opinions on how good he was going to be, but now everybody who sees him is realizing just how good he is and the things he can do.”"

Myers notes that Williams is versatile on both ends of the floor. He has a great feel for the game, is a good rebounder, and possesses excellent athleticism.

Of course, there are components of his game that Williams will continue to work on, Myers said, such as “showing that he can play on the perimeter with the ball in his hands. We’ve really talked to him about guarding smaller guards. We think he’s a guy that can eventually guard all five positions at a certain time in his career. He obviously needs to get stronger, but I’ve had him guard really, really small, quick guys and he’s done a good job of that for his size.”

As I’ve said for months, the ‘Cuse may only have one commit in its 2021 class, however, in picking up Williams, Syracuse basketball has landed a high-school prospect who has the makings of a tremendous collegiate player and, ultimately, will suit up in the NBA.