PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:
UofL Signee Samuell Williamson To Play in McDonald’s All-American Game
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Samuell Williamson, who signed in November to play for the University of Louisville men’s basketball, has been selected to play in the 42nd annual McDonald’s All-American Game.
A 6-7, 190-pound guard from Rockwall (Texas) High School, Williamson is having a stellar senior season.He is averaging 25.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists this season while helping Rockwall achieve a 23-5 record and a No. 6 ranking among Texas 6A teams. In his last game on Tuesday, Williamson scored 29 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out four assists to lead Rockwall High School to a 72-61 victory over Rockwall-Heath.
Ranked No. 33 in the 2019 ESPN 100, Williamson was honored as the MVP of the Austin Anderson Classic early in the season when he led Rockwall to four victories and the championship of the event. He topped 30 points in three straight games over two days on Dec. 27-28, scoring 35, 37 and 32 points in consecutive games.
“We are thrilled for Samuell and his family for being named a McDonald’s All American,” said UofL Head Coach Chris Mack. “Sam has worked incredibly hard to this point and has a bright future on and off the court. He’s certainly a fast riser and we look forward to his days in a Cardinal uniform.“
Williamson becomes the 28th McDonald’s All-America selection who has signed with Louisville, including three that signed with UofL but did not play for the Cardinals. Current Cardinal V.J. King was a 2016 selection. The 2019 game will be played at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on March 27.
“Samuell Williamson is a gifted wing prospect that has shown constant progression,” said Evan Daniels, College Basketball and Recruiting Insider for 247Sports and FS1. “Williamson’s improvement over the last year is notable and he’s deserving of this honor. He has plus size for the position, a budding skill set and a scoring package that allows him to score from all three levels. Players making constant improvements to their game and taking big jumps during their senior years is something as evaluators we search for. Williamson has continued to improve since the first time we saw him and has built on that during his senior season. There are still all-star games to play out, but he has the look of a potential five-star prospect.”
Williamson averaged 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds as a junior last season in helping Rockwall to a 20-12 record, earning first team Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all-state honors. He scored 21 points as his team reached the area round. The Dallas Morning News all-metro selection and district player of the year had 20 points and 11 rebounds in a game that decided the district championship last season.
Williamson is one of a six-member UofL signing class that is ranked second in the nation by ESPN.com, fifth by Rivals.com and fifth by 247sports.com. All six individuals are ranked highly among the nation’s prospects, including five of the six among ESPN’s top 100. The impressive class also includes Aidan Igiehon, a 6-10, 230-pound forward from Dublin, Ireland and Lawrence Woodmere (N.Y.) Academy; David Johnson, a 6-5, 180-pound guard from Trinity High School in Louisville; Josh Nickelberry, a 6-4, 175-pound guard from Northwood Temple Academy in Fayetteville, N.C.; Quinn Slazinski, a 6-8, 200-pound forward from Houston and Huntington (W. Va.) Prep; and Jae’Lyn Withers, a 6-8, 215-pound forward from Charlotte, N.C. who is playing his final season at Cleveland (Ohio) Heights High School.
