Danni Williams
Danni Williams when from flying in moto cross to the hardwood and has earned ELITE 60 status in basketball.
Pop Quiz time. Break out your map of the United States and point to Clovis, N.M. Well wait while you cheat and google it
Well give you partial credit for finding the right state or even pointing to the Clovis in California.
It may not be a hot bed for basketball talent but in the rare case of Danni Williams, a combination of things have come together for coaches across the nation to know exactly where the eastern New Mexico city is.
Williams, the 5-foot-11 junior guard, was in a gym from an early age, and it has helped build her game into ELITE 60 status.
My mom, she worked nights and I have two older brothers so my dad was coaching them and he would just put me in the car seat or stroller and Id go, Williams said. And as soon as I could walk I had a ball in my hands.
Danni Williams the young motocross champ.
*Courtesy of Williams family.
But basketball was not the first competition that Williams excelled in. She won her first junior national motocross championship when she was just eight years old. She won a second at the age of 10 but the family sport was basketball and as her star began to shine, the risk of injury meant dirt bikes had to go.
The setting Williams began to play basketball wasnt much safer, however.
Id get in and practice with them while my dad was coaching and stuff, Williams said of playing with boys. And theyre boys so theyre not going to take it easy on you regardless. You know, I got run over a few times. I guess it kind of stuck with me, playing with them.
The playing with boys theme has stuck with Williams even after her brothers, now 20 and 23 years old, moved on.
Theres been a few college boys that have already graduated but come back or theres still some playing close by, Williams said, and during the summers they come back and I play pick up with them like every night.
Williams is the first one to stand up for her oft-overlooked state and its basketball, pointing to the long list of schools recruiting both she and her New Mexico Heat club teammate Alexa Romano, who is also in the 2015 class.
Theres more competition than people give credit to, Williams said. I mean its a day-in and day-out battle between teams.
Williams team is undefeated on the season and garnering some national acclaim for the season they are putting together. But as teams begin to pay extra attention to her specifically, she is finding the need to build on her game.
I need to work on improving my game more like stopping and shooting or going all the way. I know when to shoot a three, Williams said. I definitely would like to be ranked higher and thats awesome and its good for New Mexico to have a kid ranked high or chosen for the McDonalds game. I know Ive played against most of them in the summer already so its not like something that would be completely out of reach.
Williams is also working on her recruiting process, as shes intent on making a decision sooner than later. She currently has Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington on her list.
Im trying to narrow it down but its pretty tough in-season, Williams added. I want to be able to watch some of the games and see how they play and I want to make some visits. I know after the season Im going to make a few visits to some schools and then will probably narrow it down after.
Williams plans on making a decision by the end of June so she can focus on getting better during the hectic month of July. So now the trick is focusing in on what is important to her.
I guess I want to go to a school where I can play. Williams said. I dont want to have to get red-shirted or sit the bench most of the time as a freshman. I want to go and I want to play and I kind of want a school thats almost a smaller town, you know, just because thats Clovis. Clovis is like 40,000 people so Im not going to be used to going to a town that has millions of people.
So Williams has some things to sort out in the coming months with several of her schools having enrollments that exceed the population of her overlooked city. But with a rare toughness and plenty of support around her, she is up for the challenge. Follow @ChrisHansenPSB
