FAYETTEVILLE — The next time Fort Smith Northside forward Jaylin Williams plays an organized basketball game, it will be in an Arkansas uniform.
Williams (6-10, 230) is this year’s state Gatorade Player of the Year and one of four top-100 players in the Razorbacks’ 2020 recruiting class that is ranked sixth nationally, according to ESPN.
Williams says he, Moses Moody (6-6, 190), Khalen “KK” Robinson (6-1, 180) and Davonte Davis (6-4, 175) are all ready to contribute right away.
“We have talked a lot about next year,” said Williams, who chose Arkansas over Auburn, Oklahoma State, UConn, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Illinois and others. “We are all ready to be there.”
The Razorbacks also had a trio of redshirts sit out in 2019-20 in Connor Vanover (7-3, 230), Abayomi Iyiola (6-9, 210) and J.D. Notae (6-2, 185) and a pledge from New Mexico grad transfer Vance Jackson (6-9, 230).
“Everything that the team really needed last year I feel like us guys that are coming in next year brings it,” Williams said. “We have a lot of assets coming in next year and I think we can really help the team.”
It remains to be seen if junior guard Mason Jones (22.0 points per game) and sophomore Isaiah Joe (16.9), Williams’ former teammate at Northside, will be on next season’s Razorbacks roster.
Jones has declared for the NBA draft but not hired an agent while Joe has yet to announce a decision on his future.
“They both had really great seasons,” Williams said. “Of course Isaiah had a minor setback with the injury, but the team showed they were underdogs the whole season. They played really hard.”
Williams has plans to sign with Arkansas during the April 15-May 20 late signing period, but he has not set a date and time as of yet.
Williams, who averaged 19.6 points and 12.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game during his senior season for the Grizzlies (20-10), came one win shy of leading Northside to a third state title in four seasons.
The Grizzlies won the 2017 and 2019 crowns and lost 40-37 in this year’s semifinals to Little Rock Central, who was declared co-champions with Conway when the coronavirus pandemic first postponed and then canceled the last two days of the Arkansas High School State Championships.
Williams finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in his team’s 44-41 win over Robinson and Bryant, which tops his favorite high school highlights.
“Winning state will obviously be my favorite memory of all,” Williams said. "Bus rides with the team, the whole team going into one room and rapping. There’s a lot.
“But some of my favorite memories as an individual would be winning Gatorade Player of the Year, getting my first offer in 10th grade and winning state MVP.”
Williams has been playing high school and AAU basketball continuously for several years now and admits he has been using being homebound for rest and relaxation.
“I’ve been resting my body a lot,” Williams said. “I’ve been going to a park to shoot every day and I get some running in at the track. I also do a bit of workouts at home.”