As far as Jordan Williams was concerned, the early interest shown to him by Illinois State made an impact. Williams, one of the top Illinois high school boys basketball players, committed to the Redbirds.
MORE: Mount Carmel loaded on football field this fall as they seek another state championships
Williams, a 6-foot-6 wing at Fremd High School, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Illinois State was "constantly recruiting me."
"They never missed a game that I played this summer," he said. "Every game. They texted or called every single day. I kind of knew from the beginning that this was what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go."
— Jordan Williams (@TheworldvsJay) August 25, 2025
A senior this year, Williams is ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Illinois by 247Sports and a three-star recruit overall. He has received offers from Cal State Northridge, Iona, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo.
"Everything felt genuine from them," Williams said. "You could tell they really believed in me. I have a future home, one that I am excited about and I'm grateful. I can't wait for this new journey with Illinois State."
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS:
- Top Iowa high school prospect to play college football, basketball at SEC power
- Iowa, Nebraska select Iowa high school grads as Week 1 captains
- Week 1 action gets started early in Iowa with Thursday Night Lights