Drexel star forward Amari Williams to see what the NBA draft and NCAA transfer portal might offer
The decision arrives just days after the Dragons’ first-round exit as the No. 2 seed in the Coastal Athletic Association conference tournament.
Drexel’s Amari Williams is preparing to test the NBA draft waters and the NCAA’s transfer portal — simultaneously.
On Tuesday evening, the senior forward posted on social media his intent to leave Drexel. The decision arrives just two days after the Dragons’ first-round exit as the No. 2 seed in the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament. The 6-foot-10 English native, who entered the season as the CAA’s preseason player of the year, finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game, and led Drexel to its first 20-win season in more than a decade.
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The decision will allow Williams to retain his final year of college eligibility while receiving an evaluation of his NBA draft stock and potentially land with a Power 6 program after his best season statistically in his four years at Drexel.
“Drexel is a wonderful place and the experience I’ve had these past four years is something I would’ve never imagined,” Williams wrote. “The love and support shown means the world to me.”
» READ MORE: ‘I hurt for them’: A promising Drexel season comes to an abrupt and sudden end
Williams will finish his career at Drexel as the only player in the CAA to win the defensive player of the year award three consecutive times. Williams captured the honor this season with averages of 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
“Thank you to [Drexel head coach Zach] Spiker, [assistant coach Paul] Fortier and the rest of the staff I’ve had throughout my years for the opportunity to be a dragon,” Williams said in his post. “My teammates who I’ve met throughout this journey will always be my brothers with bonds that will last for life.”
Williams ended his note with “LLTB24,” as a shout-out to his former teammate Terrance Butler, who died abruptly just before the start of the Dragons’ 2023-24 campaign.