All year, we spilled countless liters of ink lamenting the lack of defensive rebounding, as well as the want of an impact big that could do more than protect the basket — one who was more than a lob option. It was, and has been, ‘Bama’s most pressing need almost every season. That sort of player is also what has separated the nation’s merely very good teams from its championship ones.
Perhaps that answer has finally arrived in the very large frame of legit seven-foot Noah Williamson, the do-it-all star from Bucknell.
It would be unfair to quite call him a one-man team for the Bison, but that is not far off. The All-Patriot junior was superb on both ends of the floor, averaging 17.6 per game and 7.7 rebounds per night. The 250-pounder shot almost 62% from the floor, was one of the nation’s best at drawing fouls, and is an elite defensive rebounder, to go with above-average rim defense. He is not a great shooter from the stripe, but the massive Latvian is a legitimate three-point threat for a big man, shooting 32% from beyond the arc. He can put the ball on the floor, is a decent distributor for a pure center, and establishes position very well on the blocks.
Williamson made both the all-defensive team in the Patriot League, as well as won conference POTY honors.
Next season, there will be no mystery about what Alabama is going to do in the post: Williamson skeedaddled to Tuscaloosa as fast as a jet could get him from Lewisburg, PA, and committed almost immediately. He’s likely already Sharpie’d in as a day one starter.
This is Alabama’s first addition out of what is certain to be an active portal year for next year’s rebuilding Tide. But it’s already Nate Oats’ biggest pickup, both in terms of need and in size.
You can’t watch his highlights and help but to be excited. This is huge…we hope.
Roll Tide.
