Be honest. If there’s an SJU player that you are most excited to see take the hardwood again this season, Greg Williams Jr. has got to be up there.
I mean how can you not love the guy? A hard worker on the floor, leader in the locker room, and friend of our account, G the Menace is a St. John’s fan favorite. Not to mention he may have the coolest dad in the world. (shoutout to Greg Sr!)
Big things are in store this season to say the least. That is why we have been looking forward to writing this preview ever since we announced that we were doing this series.
Last Season Recap
Before I talk about Greg’s sophomore season, I want to jump back to his first season in New York. Commiting to St. John’s under Chris Mullin, the 4-star recruit was doing shit like this under the bright lights at MSG. As a FRESHMAN.
But I digress. Onto last season’s recap. There’s a lot to talk about.
His sophomore year was nothing short of impressive. I think he exceeded expectations for most Red Storm fans, but not ours. We were putting in that summer work with him during the offseason, so we knew he was ready to ball out.
The Louisiana native finished his 2019-20 campaign averaging 5.7 points, 2.9 boards and 1.9 assists per game, shooting nearly 35% from 3-point range. Don’t let those numbers fool you though — he did things that don’t necessarily show up on the scorecard. It’s just a different type on energy when Greg is on the floor and Coach Anderson knows that too.
During non-conference play last November, Williams made SportsCenter Top-10 by putting a Brown University big man on a poster.
Then came the game against Seton Hall at home. We don’t wanna talk about that result since we were up big at the half — but this emphatic block was another to add to the highlight reel.
Red Storm fans will recall his breakout game on March 1st, as the 6’3″ guard dropped 21 points off SEVEN 3’s. By the way, it’s worth noting that this was done in a 20-point upset against the #10 team in the nation, Creighton.
His solid play that game followed by his impressive outing during the season finale against Marquette cemented him to the final two ‘BIG EAST Weekly Honor Rolls’ of the season.
Speaking of that Marquette game, G had another insane dunk at the Garden. We called it “Air Menace”.
Marquette’s Symir Torrence could do nothing else but watch. Next time, bud.
What To Expect in 2020
There are high expectations in Queens for Williams’ junior year, as he has most definitely established himself as an important piece for the team.
But additionally, expect him to play. ALOT. He has worked his ass off ever since he arrived on campus back in the summer of 2018. We project he will be in the starting lineup and earn big minutes.
“This is a huge year for Greg, and I think he’s ready to step into a bigger scoring role. The skill has always been there but it’s the assertiveness that I think will change this year with his confidence growing.” said Stephen Strom from SiriusXM and TalkNorth.com. “I just love to watch him compete on the floor. Defensively he’s one of the brightest players in the Big East, and offensively, I think he’s got an quick enough release and athleticism to score in the double digits.”
This upcoming St. John’s season will be an interesting one to keep an eye on. From the expanded Big East (sup, UConn), to a possible “Bubbleville” at Mohegan Sun, we can’t wait to see G the Menace take the court again as a vital piece for the Johnnies.
Barstool St. John's 