Sophomore guard Calvin Williams is an electrifying talent who helped Eastfield’s basketball team reach the NJCAA Final Four last year. Williams, who averaged 18 points per game, five rebounds and four assists for the Harvesters, sat down with Et Cetera reporter Al’Darius Thompson to discuss the upcoming season and his plans after college.
Q. Where are you from? What high school did you go to?
A. I’m from Houston, Texas. I went to Klein Forest High School on the north side of Houston.
Q. Why did you choose Eastfield? What brought you out here to Mesquite?
A. I chose Eastfield because two of my homeboys went to Eastfield last year, DeAngelo (Smith) and Tamarcus (Butler). They told me to come and play with them, and I just came. I came when they were sophomores, and I was a freshman.
Q. How old are you? What is your major?
A. I’m 20, and I am a construction science major.
Q. How did you get started with basketball?
A. I started playing when I was 7 or 8. I used to play at the YMCA. After YMCA I started playing AAU, middle school basketball, high school basketball and now college.
Q. Was basketball the only sport you played or were you a dual threat?
A. I played football and baseball, but I kind of liked basketball more. It was more entertaining to me, so I just stuck to basketball.
Q You were named first-team all-American and Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year last year. How does that feel?
A. Oh, it feels good because I was a freshman, and I did that. Not too many freshmen get to play, and to do that was pretty big.
Q. COVID-19 hit after the season. Did it impact you?
A. Yes, most of the gyms were closed and you couldn’t really work out unless you went outside. It didn’t really change me. It just made me work on my speed and work on my strength instead of going to the gym hooping.
Q. Where did you do these drills?
A. I ran on the track, I was doing pushups, I had weights in my garage. I bought some stuff from Academy and just worked out like that.
Q. What other hobbies do you have?
A. I flip shoes. I got a whole bunch of shoes. I buy the latest shoes and I sell them.
Q. What are your favorite shoes? What’s the most you ever paid for or sold a pair of shoes for?
A. My favorite pair of shoes is off-white Jordan 4s. The most I have paid is $350, and the most I have sold a pair for was $1,200.
Q. Eastfield made it to the NJCAA Final Four last year. How was that experience?
A. It wasn’t too good for me because in the first two minutes of the first game I got injured. I couldn’t play the rest of the tournament. I felt like if I would have never gotten hurt, we would have won the whole thing.
Q. What was the injury?
A. I sprained my ankle and popped a blood vessel.
Q. How difficult was that, having to just watch from the bench?
A. It was difficult. I felt bad because I believed if I would have played, we would have won the Championship. My injury caused us to lose, and I was disappointed that I couldn’t help my team win.
Q. If anyone, who would you say your game is similar too in the NBA?
A. I say Trae Young
Q. Who is your favorite basketball player and why?
A. Dennis Smith Jr. He dunks a lot. I like the way he plays. He plays physical.
Q. What fuels you to keep going?
A. I have two little brothers at home. I just want to make sure I set the right path for them. They look at me and see me doing the right thing. Really just them and my people at home.
Q. What part of your game do you need to work on?
A. Probably just slowing down and running plays, instead of trying to score all the time. Let the game come to me and not try to force it.
Q. What were the major highlights from your freshman season?
A. It was when we played Richland at home and I had eight threes in the game. That’s my favorite.
Q. What are your expectations and goals for this year’s team?
A. My expectation is to win the whole thing and get a ring.
Q. What are your plans after basketball?
A. I want to own a gym or a shoe place to sell shoes.
Q. Any NBA aspirations?
A. If it’s there, then yes.
Q. Do you have any schools/offers coming?
A. I did last year, but not any right now.
Q. What do you say to those who doubt your play at the top level?
A. Catch me when it’s game time. When it’s time to shine I’m going to show them what’s up.
