Milwaukee Bucks sign Devin Williams

Devin Williams did not hear his name called on draft day.

He just had to wait a short time later, though, to learn his professional fate. Over the weekend, the former WVU basketball star landed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is not only great news for the West Virginia basketball program, it is huge for Williams and his family. He left the Mountaineers a year early to pursue a professional basketball career. It was well-stated that Williams would likely not be drafted, and that he would have to begin his professional career overseas.

That could still be a possibility for Williams, down the road. However, here in the present, Williams has a chance to land on a NBA roster.

The Bucks were hot on Williams’ trail ever since the WVU basketball team’s season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Stephen F. Austin. In recent weeks, Williams worked out in Milwaukee, along with a few other teams.

As Williams made a quick impact with the Mountaineers as a freshman, he can do the same early on with the Bucks in summer league play.

Williams had been a starter for the Mountaineers for the past three seasons. As a freshman, he was thrust into the starting lineup and he really has improved each year since then.

He recorded his 1,000th career point in January and became only the 11th player in WVU basketball history to score 1,000 points and grab 800 rebounds in his career.

Devin Williams leaves West Virginia with 1,134 career points and 843 career rebounds.

What makes Williams and attractive professional prospect is his ability to dominate inside. Obviously, his scoring statistics and rebounding ability speaks for itself, but it’s Williams’ total presence down low which makes him a hot commodity.

However, Williams was not invited to the NBA Combine. This probably hurt his chance to be drafted, but he made sure not to leave anything back when he had the chance to practice with some NBA teams.

He is certainly in the best situation he could possibly ask for. But there is still some unfinished business.

Williams lost his final college game with WVU in embarrassing fashion. Mountaineer fans would have loved to see him come back for a senior season to avenge that loss against SFA and go even further into the NCAA Tournament.

Now, he just has to take that as added motivation to play his best, get stronger and be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in the fall.

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