It is too early to evaluate the bitter spring breakup between coach Kevin Willard and Maryland, however the fast set up of Buzz Williams as his successor has netted near-instant outcomes for the Terps. Whereas Willard’s Villanova tenure is off to a sluggish begin up to now, Williams has injected momentum right into a once-bleak scenario in School Park.
Making a fast splash is difficult for any coach, it was much more tough with a Maryland fan base soured from Willard’s acrimonious departure. However after one month on the job (as of Thursday), Williams is constructing a stable roster by a zealous assault on the switch portal.
Here is the place this system sits after including one other switch earlier this week.
Large recruiting win
4-star combo guard Darius Adams, the No. 26 general participant within the Class of 2025 and a long-time UConn pledge, decommitted from the Huskies on April 19 and formally flipped his pledge to the Terps 10 days later. The choice nets Maryland its fourth-highest ranked recruit within the fashionable period — all of whom have been McDonald’s All-People. He is the primary Maryland-bound McDonald’s All-American guard since Melo Trimble in 2012.
Here is what they’re getting in him, in accordance with 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein:
Adams is a talented and clean guard with good positional dimension at 6-foot-5 and an instinctive really feel for the sport. He is a multi-dimensional scoring risk who could make threes and mid-range pull-ups in a wide range of other ways.
He is coming off an EYBL season by which he averaged 15 factors per sport on 40% capturing from the ground, 32% from behind the arc, and 59% from the free-throw line, however is broadly thought-about to be a greater shooter than that. As a junior in EYBL Scholastic play, he additionally averaged 15 factors per sport, however did it on 43% capturing from the ground and 41% from behind the arc. The long-range capturing tasks as the primary domino in his particular person offense on the subsequent degree. He has good contact, a reasonably compact and really repeatable launch, each as a spot-up risk, and with flashes of motion capturing as nicely.
Adams may make reads with the ball, so he can come off screens and get to his mid-range sport if that is how the protection is enjoying him. Mix that along with his reliability as a passer and he has the kind of flooring sport that ought to match into offensive construction properly on the subsequent degree.
A&M gamers following go well with
For coaches, early success within the portal at a brand new spot typically requires coaxing former gamers to affix them at their new vacation spot. That has labored like a appeal for Williams at Maryland — 4 of his eight incoming transfers adopted him from Texas A&M.
Former four-star prospect Pharrel Payne is the most important identify of the bunch. The No. 36 participant within the 247Sports portal rankings, he was A&M’s third-leading scorer and rebounder final season.
Three-year Aggies ahead Solomon Washington — a former four-star and the No. 132 participant within the portal — can be on the best way together with former four-star prospect Andre Mills and former three-star recruit George Turkson.
Maryland’s 2025 class at the moment sits a No. 30 in recruiting and No. 14 amongst portal hauls, in accordance with 247Sports.
Switch hits
With 10 outgoing transfers, Maryland has eight incoming transfers (up to now) — half of whom are comprised of gamers discovered exterior of the Texas A&M nicely. That features:
That provides Maryland two top-100 transfers (Payne and Rice), an incoming top-30 highschool recruit (Adams) and two different top-150 switch abilities (Watts and Washington). Of the eight dedicated transfers, six are 4 stars.
Constructing an id
Texas A&M final season completed with a top-10 protection in adjusted effectivity metrics at KenPom and was No. 1 in offensive rebounding fee for a second straight season. Unsurprisingly, a number of key provides match that mould.
Washington was No. 1 in adjusted workforce defensive effectivity at Texas A&M final season, in accordance with EvanMiya.com knowledge.
Saunders was No. 2 in the identical class at Virginia final season.
In the meantime, Payne was No. 2 in offensive rebounding fee at A&M final season — ranked inside the highest 60 nationally.
Williams is not solely including protection and rebounding. Final yr the Aggies may battle defensively with any workforce, however lacked firepower on offense. The addition of offensive abilities Saunders, Rice and Watts — all of whom averaged double figures in scoring final season — ought to guarantee offensive struggles do not comply with him at his new cease.