Saluki men's basketball signs William

CARBONDALE - Clemson transfer Malik William, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward, signed with Southern Illinois on Friday, becoming the sixth player to sign with the Saluki Basketball program since Bryan Mullins was named head coach in March.

William appeared in 17 games as a true freshman for the Tigers in 2017-18 and contributed 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game for a Clemson team that advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

He missed the 2018-19 season due to injury.

An Orlando native, William played at The First Academy and was a Top-200 high school prospect nationally according to 247 Sports. He was a 4A Second-Team All-State selection by the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) his senior year, averaging 11 points, 11 rebounds, 4.6 blocks and five assists per game.

"Malik is a huge addition to our program and a great fit for how we want to play," Mullins said. "He's a skilled big guy with the ability to shoot and pass the ball at a high level. He comes from a tremendous program where he was a part of a Sweet 16 team. He's also a good fit for the culture we're trying to build."

William played with Wake Forest signee Chaundee Brown at The First Academy and helped lead the team to a 26-2 season in 2017. He also averaged a double-double (13.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game) as a junior and earned 3A Second-Team All-State honors from the FABC.

"I was looking for that family atmosphere where I can have a great bond with the players and coaches," said William, who entered the NCAA transfer portal in April. 'I bring a lot of energy every day in practice and I just want to be that person that everyone loves to be around."

A prolific shot blocker with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, William recorded a rare triple-double (18 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocked shots) in a game versus Olympia High during his senior year. He also set the school record with 16 blocks in a game against Melbourne Holy Trinity and added 14 rebounds and seven assists in the same contest.

William is SIU's sixth spring signee, joining freshman guard Trent Brown (Pinnacle HS), freshman forward Marcus Domask (Waupun HS), sophomore guards Ben Harvey (Eastern Illinois) and Harwin Francois (Daytona State), and senior center Barret Benson (Northwestern).