Centennial’s Devin Williams slams dunk during the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game against Harvard-Westlake on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Devin Williams #22 of Centennial drives to the basket past Prince Oseya #13 of Modesto Christian in the first half of a CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Joshua Giles of Centennial hugs Devin Williams #22 of Centennial after defeating Modesto Christian 59-50 to win the CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Centennial’s Aaron Mcbride, Devin Williams and Brandon Dick celebrate after defeating Harvard-Westlake and receiving their patch in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game in Corona on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams slams dunk against Harvard-Westlake’s Jacob Huggins in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game in Corona on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Damien’s Kaleb Smith, right, tries to maintain possession of the ball as he’s closely defended by Centennial???s Devin Williams during a CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball pool-play game at Centennial High School in Corona on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams reacts with less than a minute to finish the game against Harvard-Westlake’s in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game in Corona on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams slams dunk during the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game against Harvard-Westlake on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Jared McCain and Devin Williams celebrate after defeating Harvard-Westlake 68-48 in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game in Corona on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams blocks Mater Dei’s Nick Davidson during the final pool play game of the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball playoffs on Friday June 4 2021. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams (22) soars through the paint as tries to score during a CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball pool-play game against Damien at Centennial High School in Corona on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Devin Williams with parents celebrate after defeating Harvard-Westlake in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys basketball championship game in Corona on Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Devin Williams #22 of Centennial is fouled driving to the basket against Manasse Itete #32 of Modesto Christian in the second half of a CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Centennial won 59-50. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Devin Williams #22 of Centennial derives to the basket against Modesto Christian in the second half of a CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Centennial won 59-50. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Centennial forward Devin Williams #22 goes up for a layup against Sierra Canyon in the second half of the CIF State Open Division boys basketball regional championship game in Corona on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Head coach Joshua Giles of Centennial hugs Devin Williams #22 of Centennial after defeating Modesto Christian 59-50 to win the CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Devin Williams #22 of Centennial is fouled driving to the basket against Manasse Itete #32 of Modesto Christian in the second half of a CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. # of Centennial won 59-50. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Centennial forward Devin Williams #22 dunks against Sierra Canyon in the first half of the CIF State Open Division boys basketball regional championship game in Corona on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Centennial forward Devin Williams #22 listens to Centennial guard Ramsey Huff #23 against Sierra Canyon in the first half of the CIF State Open Division boys basketball regional championship game in Corona on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Devin Williams #22 of Centennial derives to the basket against Modesto Christian in the second half of a CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. # of Centennial won 59-50. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Joshua Giles of Centennial hugs Devin Williams #22 of Centennial after defeating Modesto Christian 59-50 to win the CIF State Open Division boys basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Centennial forward Devin Williams #22 blocks the shot of Sierra Canyon guard Bronny James #0 in the first half of the CIF State Open Division boys basketball regional championship game in Corona on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
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Mick Cronin has had his eye on Devin Williams for a while.
The UCLA men’s basketball coach has been seen in some of the Southland’s best high school basketball gyms, watching the likes of Amari Bailey at Sierra Canyon – who is now a Bruin – and Williams of Corona Centennial, who pledged a verbal commitment to join the Bruins Sunday afternoon.
Willams narrowed his choices down to two schools: USC and UCLA.
“When I went on my official (visit), the conversation with Mick Cronin,” Williams said of his deciding factor on Instagram. “He keeps it 100, it reminds me of my high school coach. It just felt like home when I walked on campus … I feel like we can win an NCAA championship when I get there.”
Cronin was in the gym at Damien High during the Classic at Damien on December 28 to watch Centennial, and he was also in Centennial’s gym when the Huskies hosted Sierra Canyon in the CIF State Open Division SoCal Regional final on March 8. Williams had 19 points in Centennial’s 83-59 drumming of the Trailblazers en route to an eventual CIF State Open Division title victory at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento a few days later.
This might be the game right here. This sequence right here. Aaron McBride tip dunk, then hustles back to break up the play, it goes the other way for a 3ball from Devin Williams.
Williams, a 6-foot-9, stretch-four player, is a 4-star rated recruit, according to 247Sports.com, which also lists him as the 68th-best prospect in the 2023 class, and the 12th-ranked prospect in the state. Williams runs rim to rim really well with his long, athletic frame which impacts the offensive and defensive side of the floor. Williams has also developed a consistent 3-point shot, which sets him apart from similar recruits.
UCLA’s Chip Kelly focused on Pac-12 season, not Big Ten future
CRONIN’S RECRUITING
It’s not exactly surprising to see another high-level California recruit commit to UCLA. Since Cronin has arrived (three years ago), he’s signed three McDonald’s All-Americans the past two seasons. Last year, he signed Peyton Watson from Long Beach Poly, who spent just one year with the Bruins before being drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder (and traded to the Denver Nuggets).
This year, Cronin is welcoming his best recruiting class yet, including McDonald All-American selections Amari Bailey (Sierra Canyon) and Adem Bona (Prolific Prep), along with point guard Dylan Andrews from Compass Prep in Arizona and forward Abramo Canka, an Italian import from Genoa.
The other notable 2023 recruits linked to UCLA include point guard Isaiah Collier of Wheeler High in Georgia and small forward Andrej Stojakovic of Jesuit High (Carmichael, Calif.). Collier is 4th-best prospect in the country and Stojakovic is the son of former NBA sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic.
