Player Profile: Tsepo Hilliard Williams Jr.

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In case spectators have failed to notice, there is a new member gracing the basketball court with his presence. Tsepo H. Williams Jr., better known as TJ, is a freshman on the UD men’s basketball team and has been accumulating playing time throughout this season. 

Though new, the 6’4 freshman has been making headway. At the beginning of the season, he had fewer than fifteen minutes total in the first ten games, but times have changed. The next ten games have seen TJ rise to play a whopping 91 minutes.

It takes drive and passion to play a sport, but it takes an extra talent to play at the collegiate level. This makes TJ’s substantial playing time even more impressive, especially since he is a freshman. 

TJ has been playing recreational basketball since he was seven years old.  He considers basketball to be a stress reliever, a sport he can easily disappear into and let the rest of the world fade to black. The escape of basketball all but hypnotized him into trying it out and he has loved it ever since. 

TJ was originally born in Nebraska, but after two years his family moved down south to Forney. Displaying immense talent while on his high school team, he joined an AAU league in order to better hone his skills.

TJ is a humble and determined person, but what sold him on UD were not only the academics but also the basketball coaches. He said, “I really like the coaches, they were very personable. It was easy to get to know them and talk to them. I also did research and saw that UD was a really good school as far as education as well.”

Though his family is a big part of his life, basketball isn’t essential to making them closer; they would be tight knit whether or not basketball is in the picture. TJ is a family man and often looks to his family for guidance. “I asked them a lot of questions and they helped me choose here,” he said. He is the middle child with three brothers, two younger and one older, and an older sister.

Some trivia on TJ is that his favorite dish is chicken pasta. His favorite basketball team in proper Texas fashion is the Dallas Mavericks. Obviously, Luka Doncic is his favorite player, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is also at the top of his list. 

Come out and support the University of Dallas men’s basketball team for their senior night against Trinity University on Sunday Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.! In honor of TJ and the rest of the team at their final home game of the season, wear blue and cheer loud.

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