Temple freshman Jeremiah Williams plays with the pride of Chicago on his jersey
Williams has the keys to Temple's offense, playing point guard for the first time since middle school.
No. 25 is special to Chicago.
So when Temple freshman Jeremiah Williams looked through the Owls’ selection of jerseys, and No. 25 happened to be one of the available jerseys that fit, it wasn’t a coincidence.
Williams, a Chicago native, attended Simeon High School during his senior year after transferring from St. Laurence. Notable alumni from Simeon include current and former NBA players Derrick Rose, Nick Anderson, Zach Norvell, Jabari Parker, and Kendrick Nunn. Rose, Anderson, Norvell, and Nunn each wore, or currently wear, No. 25 in their NBA careers.
The number gained prominence when Simeon star Ben Wilson wore it. Wilson was shot and killed in 1984 after an off-campus altercation with Billy Moore. The 17-year-old Wilson was regarded as the top high school player in the country by many scouts.
Wilson’s legacy started the wave of several college and NBA players from Simeon and Chicago wearing No. 25. Williams is one of those players.
“When I saw it, I was kind of shocked like whoa ... this is big for our program,” Simeon head coach Robert Smith said. “When guys put that on, that means they are fully in tune to what Simeon basketball means to them. [No. 25] is Simeon basketball.”
He’s just a freshman, but wearing a popular jersey number isn’t the only reason Williams is in the limelight. Head coach Aaron McKie has given him the keys to one of the top-10 winningest programs in college basketball.
“The hype of it hasn’t hit me,” Williams said. “I just felt like it’s college now and it’s basketball. It’s big-boy ball now. I just have to be prepared to do what I’m supposed to do.”
Williams didn’t play point guard at Simeon. His 6-foot-5 height was more tailored to playing a wing position. He played off the ball, but a lot of Simeon’s offense still ran through Williams. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists before the season was shut down due to the pandemic.
A lot of teams recruited Williams as an off-ball guard. He hadn’t played point guard since middle school, but Smith was one of the people who believed he could make the transition. He told schools to take a look at Williams as a point guard. Williams played on and off the ball in Temple’s first practices before settling into his role.
You would think it’s a bit overwhelming for a freshman to change positions and become an immediate starter at the collegiate level during a pandemic season. But Williams is calm, cool, collected. One of his best attributes on the court is his controlled style of play.
Williams is averaging 8.3 points and ranks third in the American Athletic Conference in assists per game (4.5). He’s started every contest and said he’s getting more comfortable each game, but McKie doesn’t take it easy on him. After Williams had 12 points, four assists, and finished plus-15 in the box score against Central Florida, McKie called his performance “OK.”
“It’s a lot that we’re throwing at him,” McKie said after the UCF game. “If I didn’t think he could do it, then I wouldn’t put him in that position.”
Williams understands that tough love. He knows the goal is to help him get better and become a premier two-way player in the AAC.
Williams is constantly reviewing things with roommates Damian Dunn and De’Vondre Perry.
“I know I have a lot of room to go and I can still produce right now,” Williams said. “Just thinking of everything I can work on and I will get better at in the future ... I’m excited to see.”