Jada Williams followed her heart when it came time to pick a college.
In November, the point guard officially became a member of the Arizona Wildcats’ three-person recruiting class of 2023. Joining her will be her best friend and La Jolla Country Day teammate, Breya Cunningham, as well as Las Vegas Centennial standout Montaya Dew.
There were a lot of things that went into Williams’ choice. But passion was a big part of it. The 18th-ranked Wildcats will take on Cal on Saturday night in Berkeley.
“I chose Arizona because as a passionate player, I think it’s super important to be surrounded — coaching staff and player-wise — with other passionate players that love the game just as much as you do and will let you shine and be who you are,” Williams said. “The coaching staff is just unbelievable. Coach Adia (Barnes) and her staff are definitely I think the best in the country. A lot of people I know, a lot of my best friends go there like (UA freshman) Paris (Clark), Breya is coming with me, ‘Taya (Dew) is coming in with me — all people that I’ve been around. The class ahead of me I’m super close with and so I think it’s important to feel at home. …
“I’m just super excited to be surrounded by people who love the game and I know that I’m going to win a championship with. People who (are) like-minded as me, people that I’ve been around my whole life and that have been in my corner from Day 1. I think it’s just going to be a super amazing experience.”—
Williams has been stellar so far as a senior, averaging 10.6 points, 4.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for the Torreys, who are 15-1. Williams was named San Diego Union-Tribune’s Player of the Week for her performance in the Nike Tournament of Champions, where La Jolla Country Day finished second.
The 5-foot-8-inch Williams is ranked No. 21 in her class by ESPN’s HoopGurlz. This summer, she was part of the USA Basketball U17 team that won gold in the FIBA World Cup in Hungary. Williams was hurt and played sparingly, averaging 4.4 points per game. Limited, she spent much of her time pumping up her teammates from the bench.
Barnes noticed.
“She’s the first person off the bench. She’s giving high fives. The first person meeting (teammates) at halfcourt, walking back. Super-engaged on the bench,” Barnes said. “As a coach, you look for those things. And most people don’t have that and she has that. She’s a natural born leader.”
La Jolla Country Day high school point guard Jada Williams signed with Arizona last month. Joining her in the Wildcats’ highly rated recruiting class: best friend and high school teammate Breya Cunningham.
Barnes has been looking for someone with this exact trait. Williams knows that as she goes, her team goes. At a young age, she learned to be positive and talk on the court — a lot. She knows if she gives the extra effort, her teammates will do the same.
It’s not only her leadership and communication that makes her stand out. She also plays with grit. Sometimes that means scoring 30 points; other times it’s guarding the best player.
“I’m a point guard first. My job is to make sure the team is doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” Williams said. “If the other team goes on a run, how do we stop it? How do I make sure everyone on my team is getting looks they want and make sure everyone’s out of their head and make sure everyone’s on the same page? I’m really just a leader and a passionate player. If I need to go get a bucket, I’m gonna get a bucket, but I think my No. 1 goal is just getting the W.”
She has a special connection with Cunningham. They went to basketball camps together before Williams moved from Kansas to San Diego a few years ago. Now, they’ve played on AAU teams and two USA Basketball squads and are in their second year as high school teammates.
Williams said that being best friends off the court helps when the game tips off.
“It’s just a different level of connection like a point guard and a big is the probably the best connection you can have on a team and it’s just it just keeps getting better and better,” Williams said. “I know that I have the best big in the country. A lot of people are like, ‘How do you get the ball in there?’ I’m like, ‘It’s Breya.’ I’m going to pass the ball. That’s how I have so many assists in the game. I think she’s definitely a weapon that we have. I’m going to continue to have for the next four years and maybe moving on when we go pro.”
When Williams isn’t dishing to Cunningham or putting in extra work to become more consistent with letting the game come to her and reading defenses, she is known for her name, image and likeness deals. She is the only high school athlete in the country who is in Top 10 list of Name, Image and Likeness deals. She has worked with Gymshark, LaceClips, Move Insoles (co-founded by Damian Lillard), Lemon Perfect and Spalding.
As part of her deals, Williams asks for a way to give back to the community. That, along with basketball, fuels her.
“To me that’s more important and that’s something I care deeply about. And that’s something I’m passionate about,” Williams said.
Rim shots
Esmery Martinez led the way Thursday night with 21 points and 10 rebounds — her fourth double-double of the season — as the Wildcats pounded rival ASU, 84-66. As is typical for rivalry games, it was physical down low — at one point, UA’s Shaina Pellington got elbowed in the face. None of it fazed Martinez. “I’m very strong and I can guard anybody on the court,” Martinez said. “Play(ing) defense is the most important thing that we had to do to help the team.”
With all the expectations around Williams, the two people who keep her grounded are her mom and her older sister. “They are in my corner, no matter what, so that I stay grounded,” she said. “Sometimes I just need a hug. Sometimes I need somebody to tell me that they’re proud of me like every other kid does. I can’t even describe the stuff that my mom does for me, the sacrifices that she’s made. … I’m super blessed to be able to have to have that support system. Now, Williams has another strong female role model in Barnes. “It’s powerful to be able to look up to those people and know that I’m following in amazing footsteps,” Williams said. “They support me and want me to go in my own footsteps and be the best version of Jada that I can be. It’s important that that young girls have somebody to look up to. I’m looking up to Coach Adia, my mom and these other powerful WNBA players who have strong voices and that are fighting for the same thing and I am. I can be that middle ground for the young people coming up – the girls of tomorrow that are looking at me. I can be that positive role model to let them know that you can do anything and anything is possible. … I’m looking at people from Title IX years ago years and years ago and taking that as inspiration and being able to value those things that they taught me.”
Williams’ two favorite WNBA players are Sue Bird and Kelsey Plum, both of whom have connections to Barnes. Barnes played with Bird on the 2004 Seattle Storm WNBA championship team, and she coached Plum at Washington.
