Sophomore Elliot Williams, who started 11 of Duke’s final 12 games last season, will leave Duke to be closer to his Memphis, Tenn. home for family medical reasons, the program announced Wednesday morning.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Elliot and his family,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We fully support him in his efforts to be closer to them during this trying time. He is a good young man with an opportunity to become an outstanding player. We wish him well as he determines his future. He will always be a part of our program and we will always be in his corner.”
Williams is seeking a waiver from the NCAA that would allow him to play at a Division-I school right away, instead of having to sit out a season as most transfers do. Transfers for medical reasons have in the past been granted eligibility immediately.
Williams averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds a game last season, but those numbers are skewed because of his very limited role most of the season compared to his integral play late on. After playing sparingly for the first half of the ACC season, Williams took over the starting shooting guard position against St. John’s Feb. 19 and was a major factor in Duke’s success the rest of the campaign.
Without Williams, the Blue Devils have just two scholarship guards left on the roster, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith.
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People have been calling for more zone D from Duke for years. You’ll see it next year.
Best wishes to Elliot and his family.
another reminder that basketball is nowhere near the most important thing in the world