Indiana University Athletics
Catching Up With #IUBB: Troy Williams
5/11/2015 3:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - With the 2014-15 academic year complete, we sat down with rising junior guardTroy Williams to get his thoughts on his sophomore season and what he's working on for next year.
How have your initial workouts been with everyone back on the court and in the weight room?
Williams: "It's been really good. Everybody's been coming in with a new type of energy. We have a feel for how good everybody could be this year and it's just affecting everybody's mood right now in a great way."
On some of the preseason rankings by the media having IU ranked pretty high:
Williams: "We were ranked last year, even if it wasn't really all that high, but we've seen it before. Now that we've got the recognition for it again we just can't let it get to our heads."
What does it mean to have everyone back, yourself included in that?
Williams: "It's a great thing with how far we went last year as a team and how great we can be next year with the same people. Then you need to throw in the new people as well. It's a great feeling."
Earlier this past year you were talking about how much better you got at watching film as a sophomore. Have you had a chance to look more into last season at all yet?
Williams: "You know, I haven't started this year, but I will be soon. When I come back for the summer (in June) I most likely will. That's what I did last year and it helped. I'll be able to see the ways I scored and the ways I didn't score and see any opportunities or chances that I missed as well."
How important is his leadership both on the floor and off now that he's a senior?
Williams: "He's important for a lot. When it comes to basketball, you see his name. You see his picture. He's got seniority, too. He knows what this team is all about because he's been here all four years."
On being an upperclassman on this team:
Williams: "I felt like that last year. I mean, when I first came in, I had to get ready for such a big role. It's kind of like my senior year because next year I'll be able to graduate in three years. In a way, I'm like a senior, too just with school which is pretty cool."
What are you trying to add this summer? It looked like the jumper was starting to come together at the end of last year.
Williams: "I'll stick with it. I had great numbers for it, but I didn't shoot it a lot this year. I still think I can do better. That's one thing, and then ball handling and just owning more of a point guard type of skillset."
On someone that he would like to model his game after:
Williams: "I've been liking Kevin Durant since I first heard about him at Texas. That's one person who I've always looked up to."
We saw the type of jump Collin Hartman made last season. I know it's early, but is there anyone capable of making a similar jump?
Williams: "Probably Emmitt Holt. He could be a breakout player for us this next year. He had a real good year as a freshman and being undersized he played really well, too. He was guarding people much bigger than him. He's also been getting more of a guard skillset to his game this year, too. He'll definitely be one of the players to make a jump."
It just seems like everybody's excited in this locker room. Is it contagious?
Williams: "Oh yeah, definitely. When we found out everyone's coming back and found out who we were getting and found out more about them, it's just a great feeling. Everybody's just happy. I can't wait for it."
