Arizona vs. Long Beach State

Arizona Wildcats guard Brandon Williams (2) dribbles a ball between his legs during warm ups before Arizona's 104-67 win over Long Beach State in the Wooden Legacy Tournament in McKale Center on November 24th, 2019.

 Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily Star

When Brandon Williams made official his long-expected departure from the Arizona Wildcats on Friday, he thanked UA coach Sean Miller “for believing in me from day one.”

Miller has pretty much said the same thing about Williams.

When the four-star combo guard re-committed to Arizona in May 2018, he became the only one of UA’s three first 2018 commits to stick with the Wildcats after the federal investigation into college basketball became public in September 2017 and ESPN reported in February 2018 that Miller discussed a pay-for-play scheme with an agent.

Then Williams went out and became the Wildcats’ second leading scorer (11.4 points) as a freshman in 2018-19 despite struggling with a congenital knee issue that cost him nearly a year of high school basketball and his would-be sophomore season of 2019-20 season.

“With all that we’ve gone through as a program the last couple of years,” Miller said on June 2, “one of the highlights for me is that we were able to hang on and recruit Brandon to Arizona not one time but twice.”

That bond continued this summer, even as it became increasingly obvious Williams’ UA career was over. Miller filled up his 2020-21 roster with the maximum of 13 scholarship players on top of Williams, and also did not mention him in a videotaped rundown of his upcoming team last spring.

Still, Miller kept quiet while Williams and his family explored what might be next and UA did not officially update its 2020-21 roster.

When Williams did not report to Tucson last month along with the rest of the Wildcats, preferring to stay home in Southern California, his father, Chris Wright, said he was keeping all options open. 

Finally, on Friday, all sides made it official. Wright told the Star that Williams may have an opportunity ahead in the G League.

“With the season near, best decision for both sides is to get it out there and move forward,” Wright said text message.

In a statement, Miller said he was fully in support of Williams, thanking him and his parents.

"Brandon is one of the most talented guards we have recruited during my tenure here," Miller said. "Unfortunately, his health didn't allow him to showcase his talents for an entire career in our program. In his lone year playing for us, while he was never 100% physically, Brandon had an outstanding season.”

In the same UA statement, Williams thanked Miller, UA trainer Justin Kokoskie, staff and UA fans. He said he would continue to pursue his UA degree and would have UA “forever in my heart.”

Then, after the announcement, Williams posted a GIF to Twitter of Heath Ledger’s Joker over the words “And. Here. We. Go.”

Lute Olson was head basketball coach at the University of Arizona from 1983-2008. He was a seven-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, made five Final Four appearances, won the 1997 NCAA Championship and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. He died Aug. 27, 2020.

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