SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Benny Williams stands tall in front of multiple members of the media seemingly more mature heading into his junior season. He fields various questions — some difficult, some not — and answers in a resolute tone. He sounds sure of himself. It’s a more subtle sign of growth from Williams as opposed to the more outwardly apparent 25 pounds he’s added to his frame since enrolling at Syracuse as a freshman.
Williams came to Syracuse as a fresh-faced, consensus top-40 recruit in a one-man recruiting class. In the time since he’s undergone significant growth following two arduous seasons of college basketball, both beset with their own inherent difficulties as a member of the storied Orange program which has fallen short of usual benchmarks by every measure.