Benny Williams

[Cusefan0307]

Might be the least talked about top 35 recruit ever on the board. Seems like there's quite a few fans who gloss over him when discussing next year, which I am surprised considering so many people complained we missed on these players in previous years.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Benny Williams is on campus

Benny is home

syracusefan.com

Benny

https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2021/04/5-star-recruit-benny-williams-on-what-hes-working-on-when-he-will-arrive-on-syracuses-campus.html Whenever I see his name now on Syracuse.com I move to the edge of my seat. The way of the College basketball world has me forever walking on egg shells.

syracusefan.com

 

[orangefog]

Might be the least talked about top 35 recruit ever on the board. Seems like there's quite a few fans who gloss over him when discussing next year, which I am surprised considering so many people complained we missed on these players in previous years.

I think it is understandable when people take a "wait and see" approach to freshman, no matter how highly ranked. But, I think Benny is going to be a great player for us in year one. He is in a great position. The eyes will be on Buddy. Swider is a scorer. Joe is a scorer. The pressure won't be on him to be our top guy. The defenses won't swarm him. I think he starts out by rebounding and playing great defense and taking advantage of scoring opportunities. And, by mid year, he will become more assertive with his offense. And, by the end of the year, this offense will be a nightmare for the opposition, because Benny will be using all of his offensive tools.

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

My sense is that many are excited but equally cautious about expecting too much from any freshman

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I'm hoping that Benny has a good season, sufficient to keep him in Orange for a second season, and that the incoming recruits for 22 are super quick and we nickname them the Jets.

#dadjokesfordays

 

[CardiacCuse]

My sense is that many are excited but equally cautious about expecting too much from any freshman

yeah there have been too many recruits in his ranking range that have either been not up to it or slow to develop etc...I am hopeful but aware that not every top 30 player is actually a difference maker, especially right off the bat.

 

[AZOrange]

Not for me. But I’ve said he’s going to be one of the best we’ve put on the floor in 10-15 years and that was met by a lot of wet blanket reactions so I learned to be quiet. He and Kamari are ridiculous

 

[Alsacs]

I need player comp for Benny.
As if he can’t shoot right away I am sure that will be used against him.

Is he Jerami Grant? 24-7 comped to Ziaire Williams. Which I would take. That type of player would just replace Guerrier’s production IMO.
I hope this kid doesn’t get high expectations as I want them low so he can exceed or meet them.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I need player comp for Benny.
As if he can’t shoot right away I am sure that will be used against him.

Is he Jerami Grant? 24-7 comped to Ziaire Williams. Which I would take. That type of player would just replace Guerrier’s production IMO.
I hope this kid doesn’t get high expectations as I want them low so he can exceed or meet them.

He should have high expectations. He’s a borderline 5 star player. He’s got the ability to do it all offensively and much less raw than Jerami Grant.

 

[Alsacs]

He should have high expectations. He’s a borderline 5 star player. He’s got the ability to do it all offensively and much less raw than Jerami Grant.

So he should be better than Quincy last year? I won’t put that on him.
I honestly would be floored if he matches Quincy.

I feel the HC won’t give Benny the rope to make a lot of mistakes. I see games he does well and plays a lot and games he will sit a lot because he is a Freshman. Since we have a third forward on the team.

 

[Cusefan0307]

So he should be better than Quincy last year? I won’t put that on him.
I honestly would be floored if he matches Quincy.

I feel the HC won’t give Benny the rope to make a lot of mistakes. Since we have a third forward on the team.

Yes. I think he matches Quincy’s production while overall being a better shooter, better ball handler and more athletic.

 

[Alsacs]

Yes. I think he matches Quincy’s production while overall being a better shooter, better ball handler and more athletic.

That would be awesome. Hope it happens but I won’t expect it.
My expectations are to just be a solid player. I just point to Kadary last year. He was clearly the best PG on the team and he didn’t the minutes that showed that.

 

[asj410]

Pretty confident he's going to average 22 and 10 and take us to a championship despite losing our season opener. Wouldn't be surprised to see Joe knock down six 3s in the first half of the championship game too, with Edwards coming out of nowhere to make a game-winning block at the end of regulation.

 

[Cusefan0307]

That would be awesome. Hope it happens but I won’t expect it.
My expectations are to just be a solid player. I just point to Kadary last year. He was clearly the best PG on the team and he didn’t the minutes that showed that.

That has zero to do with Benny Williams. If you’re talking about the Quincy from the past 11 games when we played our best basketball it really isn’t a tall order to match those numbers. Our 2 starting forwards struggled down the stretch.

 

[Alsacs]

That has zero to do with Benny Williams. If you’re talking about the Quincy from the past 11 games when we played our best basketball it really isn’t a tall order to match those numbers. Our 2 starting forwards struggled down the stretch.

I have no faith anymore. I need to see it to believe it.
The damage of the mediocrity is I am from Missouri now. If my eyes don’t tell me what I have seen is going to be much different than I am not going to expect much different. I agree Quincy and Alan weren’t good the second half of the year.
Their is zero doubt Buddy the carried the team the last 3 weeks at the ACCT and NCAAT tournaments.

My point about Kadary is if the HC wants to do something he will do it.
There is absolutely no reason that honestly makes sense Kadary played the least minutes in the backcourt last year.
The other 2 guards had Covid themselves, the defense was better with Kadary, he could drive by a defender.
Why I am going to expect Benny to be given rope when we will have 2 other options Swider and Boeheim that can play forward?

I am very optimistic about 2022 because it’s an unknown team and I like the talent.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Yes. I think he matches Quincy’s production while overall being a better shooter, better ball handler and more athletic.

Is his handle good enough to be the pressure relief for Joe?

 

[General20]

Is his handle good enough to be the pressure relief for Joe?

All three of our forwards this year will be better ball handlers than any of our forwards were last year. But I think Jimmy will be the number one point forward option and not Benny.

 

[althea]

All three of our forwards this year will be better ball handlers than any of our forwards were last year. But I think Jimmy will be the number one point forward option and not Benny.

Are you including Marek in last years forwards? I know he started at the 5. I thought he was borderline "great" at ball handling for a big.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

All three of our forwards this year will be better ball handlers than any of our forwards were last year. But I think Jimmy will be the number one point forward option and not Benny.

Was that something Jimmy has done in the past in the Ivy League?

 

[Orangezoo]

Was that something Jimmy has done in the past in the Ivy League?

To some degree yes. They got the ball in his hands early in possessions and let him go to work. Not a 1 to 1 with how we used Marek but he was decisive and comfortable making plays off the bounce.

 

[Trueblue25]

I think hypes down across all CBB.

Get the fans back in the arenas. What a year its been.

Benny Williams and Mari are studs

 

[Ceerqqq]

All three of our forwards this year will be better ball handlers than any of our forwards were last year. But I think Jimmy will be the number one point forward option and not Benny.

Interesting. There's a lot we don't know, but I do know that Benny played point guard before his growth spurt and I'm kinda thinking Jimmy didn't perform that role previously, but what do I know?

I also got the impression that one of the 'qualities' mentioned of Benny's game was his 'play maker' skills. Add to that, in most of the vids I saw of him, he was positioned at the top of the key.

What I don't know--to make any comparisons--is how much time Jimmy has spent on the court in similar roles.

Have you been hearing something quite different?

 

[Briancuse]

I don't know who is glossing over him. He is probably the recruit I am most excited about since Malachi.

 

[General20]

Interesting. There's a lot we don't know, but I do know that Benny played point guard before his growth spurt and I'm kinda thinking Jimmy didn't perform that role previously, but what do I know?

I also got the impression that one of the 'qualities' mentioned of Benny's game was his 'play maker' skills. Add to that, in most of the vids I saw of him, he was positioned at the top of the key.

What I don't know--to make any comparisons--is how much time Jimmy has spent on the court in similar roles.

Have you been hearing something quite different?

I'm not hearing anything, just going by my own observations.

Benny is a pretty god ball handler and passer for a high school forward, but IMG never once used him as a playmaker in the seven games I watched. He did his damage with limited time touching the ball.

Jimmy on the other hand does a lot of what Marek did for us. He's a good ball handler who creates his own offense (and offense for others) off the dribble regularly. He's also a really good passer who executed that Dolezaj back door pass multiple times every game.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think it is understandable when people take a "wait and see" approach to freshman, no matter how highly ranked. But, I think Benny is going to be a great player for us in year one. He is in a great position. The eyes will be on Buddy. Swider is a scorer. Joe is a scorer. The pressure won't be on him to be our top guy. The defenses won't swarm him. I think he starts out by rebounding and playing great defense and taking advantage of scoring opportunities. And, by mid year, he will become more assertive with his offense. And, by the end of the year, this offense will be a nightmare for the opposition, because Benny will be using all of his offensive tools.

That's a best case scenario. I am hopefully that he can play good enough defense to be able to remain out on the floor without fouling out, and giving us some presence on the boards. I know the offensive skill is there, but he can't be a guy who makes us trade buckets. Our team is built on having a good zone.