Wayne grad Williams to start pro career in Europe

He made All-MAC third team last season
Akron’s Xeyrius Williams drives against Western Michigan’s Brandon Johnson during a game earlier this season. Akron University photo

Akron’s Xeyrius Williams drives against Western Michigan’s Brandon Johnson during a game earlier this season. Akron University photo

Xeyrius Williams will start his professional basketball career in Hungary. He announced Saturday he will play for Egis Kormend in Hungary’s top league.

A 2015 Wayne High School graduate, Williams played 77 games for the Dayton Flyers in three seasons, transferred to the University of Akron, sat out a season and then started all 31 games for the Akron Zips last season.

Williams, a 6-foot-9 forward, began his career with back-to-back Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championships and ended it with a Mid-American Conference East Division championship.

Williams finished his career with 848 points. He averaged a career-best 13.9 points in his final season. He ranked third in the MAC with 9.5 rebounds. He was named to the All-MAC third team. He shot 90.8 percent from the free-throw line, 48.0 percent from 2-point range and 29.9 percent from 3-point range.

Williams planned to play for Mid-American Unity in The Basketball Tournament earlier this month, but the team had to withdraw from the event because of a positive COVID-19 test.

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