Williams says Minnesota was the spot he needed to be at

Tre Williams' path to Minnesota was a whirlwind. Richard Pitino and his staff started contacting the high school senior just a few weeks ago. That turned into an official visit and an offer last weekend. Less than 72 hours afterwards, he gave his verbal commitment to the Gophers. The following day (Wednesday) he signed to become an official member of the program, which also happened to be the very first day of the Early Signing Period.

The Gopher Report spoke to Williams Thursday night soon after he got out of practice at Wasatch Academy in Utah.

"I feel a mixture of being estatic and relief. My recruiting process has been up and down. There have been times when there were fifteen coaches or more there to see me, and other times when there were only one or two coaches or even zero. It was an amazing feeling to sign with a school that is in the Big Ten Conference. I have made my parents proud, my coaches proud, and my friends back home. It is a great feeling."

We spoke with Tre's father Richard, after the official visit last weekend. He couldn't have been more complimentary about every part of it. The son agreed and expounded on how Minnesota put its best foot forward.

"The whole feel was great, " Williams explained. "The coaches showed my family and I a lot of love. We went to the practices. We went up to Coach (Richard) Pitino's office, and got an offer while we were there. We went to dinner with coaches. It must have lasted three hours. Everyone was laughing, joking, and telling stories. Even though we had really just met, I felt like I had known them for a long time."

"Their players were also great, " Williams continued. "They were one group. There were no cliques. The facilities were incredible. They were better than what they have in the NBA. They have spent something like $160 or $170 million on them, and you can tell. I also felt like I fit in with the players. They were always laughing and joking. There was never a dull moment. I felt like this was the spot I need to be at."

One unique touch that Mr. Williams told us Minnesota used during the visit was have executives from the Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities come in and make presentations. Tre said that was particularly beneficial to him and his situation.

"That was amazing. I'm going to major in Business Administration with a Minor in Sports Management. There are around sixteen to eighteen Fortune 500 businesses downtown. Their executives come to campus multiple times per year to interview for internships. You have all of those connections right next to you. That is a huge bonus for me."

Williams said he didn't have to go back to Utah to make up his mind. He clarified there was a time when he knew this was the place for him.

"I knew after the second dinner with the coaching staff and Jarvis Omersa. He ate with us. I stayed with him during the visit. He took care of me. While I was with him, the coaches visited with my parents. When we were eating, everyone joked and told stories. Have you ever been with somebody for a short time, but you felt like you had known them for a lot longer? That is the way I felt with them.

After a day of touring the facilities and going to the practice, I knew. Watching practice, I liked the way Coach Pitino gives his players freedom. They don't look over their shoulder, wondering if they are coming out if they make a mistake. He gives parameters, and they have to play within them, but they still have the freedom to make plays. That is the way I like it. So I knew after the second day."

Williams already has a wealth of knowledge on how the Gophers play. He has taken in two practices, plus he watched the exhibition game with Minnesota-Duluth and both regular season games. From that, he is encouraged how he can fit in to what they are trying to do.

"They use a lot of ball-screens and dribble handoffs. It's not just about one or two guys. Everybody gets a chance to create. I can also come in and be a high energy guy. Coach Pitino tells me that I can be the guard version of Jarvis Omersa. Our games are different, but they are similar energy-wise. I like how they play as a team. If Jordan Murphy is hot, they get him the ball. If Amir Coffey is hot, they get him the ball. They play as a team."

We asked Williams to describe his game to the Minnesota fans who have not seen him play and are curious about what they can expect from him.

"Overall, I'm just a dog. I have lots of energy. I am also a scorer at a high level. I can shoot, hit the pull-up, and get to the rim. I also create for my teammates. Coach Pitino said he will use me as a combo-guard. I can play the one, two, or three. I love defense too. I love pressing and pressuring the ball, and then getting into transition. I play on both sides."

Williams has already prepared himself for life in Minnesota. That happened when he left Texas for life at Wasatch Academy in Utah. He says that the experience has been very useful.

"It has helped me in a variety of ways. One big part has been that is has removed me from distractions. I'm from Dallas, and a lot of people there wanted me to hang out. At Wasatch, all there is is basketball and school. I can't leave campus unless I am with an administrator. Wasatch only has about 1,500 people. The only fun thing to do here is go to the gym and work on my game. It's only a two minute walk, so it is easily accessible. Living away from home, and having a roommate has prepared me for college."

Finally, we asked Trey if he has a message for Gopher fans.

"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity. I am looking forward to coming in as a Gopher and making everybody proud."