Texas A&M freshman forward Robert Williams announced Tuesday that he will be returning for his sophomore season in Aggieland.
Williams, a projected lottery pick and the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, met with his family and A&M head coach Billy Kennedy and decided to pass on potentially being a top-10 pick to play another year and improve his game.
“First of all, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the awesome opportunity to play at a great university like Texas A&M,” Williams said in a statement. “I would also like to thank my parents, family, coaches, teammates and fans for supporting me through my freshman year. I love A&M and it was a great experience which helped me grow and get better as a player and a person.
Williams went on to explain he felt like he still had room to grow and mature on a college court.
“Although I’ve grown, I still feel like I would benefit from another year of college. This will give me more time to mature and develop my game before moving on to the NBA. With that being said I’ve decided I owe it to myself to stay another year at Texas A&M. Again, I would like to thank everyone for their support and I know next year will be even better. Gig ‘em Aggies!”
The 6-foot-9, 237-pound big man enjoyed a successful rookie campaign averaging 11.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
“I’m thankful that Robert loves Texas A&M and his teammates,” Kennedy said. “I know this was a difficult decision for him and his family. He’s not only a special talent but a special young man. His desire to be the best and his trust in us in humbling. I can’t wait for next season!”
The Vivian, Louisiana, native notched 11 double-doubles for the year and holds the nation’s longest active blocked shot streak after recording a block in all BLANK games this season.
“The sky is the limit for him,” said former A&M point guard J.C. Hampton. “He’s still so young. You don’t understand how good he really can be. His work ethic has gotten better since I’ve stepped here on campus.”
With Williams returning A&M will have four starters back for next season who were responsible for 86.1 percent of the scoring throughout the 2016 to 2017 campaign.   
Williams will try and help A&M reach the NCAA Tournament next season after the Aggies finished ninth in the SEC with a 16-15 overall record and 8-10 in the conference.
“I just play basketball — that’s all I can do,” Williams said of the hype he hears about himself. “I hear it day in and day out, people call me, text me and send me mock drafts … I get it — I can go to the NBA, I get that. Just let me live, let me play my game day by day. Whatever happens, happens.”