D.J. Williams to Illinois

Illinois coach John Groce continued his recruiting momentum with the addition of 2015 Chicago Simeon wing D.J. Williams.

Williams is ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2015 by Rivals.

“I fell in love with the school my first time on campus,” Williams told Chicagohoops.hoops247.com. “The coaching staff is great.  They supported me through my ups and downs.  Their style of play is my fit.”

The 6-foot-5 wing is close with Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate, two former Simeon guards currently on Illinois’s roster.

Scott Burgess of Chicagohoops.hoops247.com described his game this way:

“The smooth wing has tremendous upside.  He is super skilled and his ability to handle the ball helps him get to his spots on the floor.  He makes it look easy out there as he can just glide into the lane with easy explosion.  He is an effortless scorer that can get in the lane and has the ability to score off the bounce.

“His best asset at this stage is his jump shot.  His feathery jumper is extremely consistent from 15-18 feet and can stretch beyond that to three.  Williams is good in transition finishing around the rim.  He rebounds well for his position and is good facilitating with the rock in his hands.”

Williams is Groce’s first 2015 commit.

For 2014, the Illini have power forwards LeRon Black and Michael Finke and point guard Quentin Snider.

They remain in the hunt for 6-9 Chicago Curie power forward Cliff Alexander, who announced on Nov. 15 and is considering Illinois, DePaul, Memphis and Kansas.