Former TCU star stunned by snub but still full of pride
Kenrich Williams was stunned.
The former TCU basketball star who helped usher in a new era of success on the hardwood for the Horned Frogs, was as shocked as anyone when his alma mater was left out of the NCAA Tournament.
“I was watching everything. I knew the Big 12 tournament was going to be crucial,” Williams said before his New Orleans Pelicans played the Dallas Mavericks Monday night at American Airlines Center.
Williams has made believers out of the Pelicans’ organization, especially head coach Alvin Gentry, after he went undrafted last June and didn’t play much the first half of the season. Since Jan. 24, however, he’s played in every game and started the past 20.
“Every day, we come to practice thinking I don’t know if he’s good enough,” Gentry said. “And he does something else and we think, eh, we’ll keep him for a few more games. Eh, we’ll keep him on the team. Ah, we’ll start him!”
Just as he did at TCU, Williams has become a fan favorite in New Orleans. It has helped cement his “Kenny Hustle” nickname, which was coined by Billy Wessels, a TCU alumnus, former Star-Telegram writer and publisher of TCU Rivals. Williams follows the Horned Frogs closely and was as bummed as anyone when they were snubbed on Sunday. The Frogs host Sam Houston State Wednesday night in the first round of the NIT.
“I got them on in the locker room. I try to watch as many games as I can,” said Williams, who had eight points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three assists before fouling out early in overtime in the Pelicans’ 129-125 win. “I was hurt. The way the season went for them, having just a few guys in the rotation, it was tough.”
Gentry surprised Williams with a group of tickets right behind the Pelicans’ bench for family members in town from Waco on Monday. Williams also had a few of his old teammates from TCU in the house, including Desmond Bane. Former TCU coach Trent Johnson was in attendance and visited with Williams before the game.
“I have a lot of pride in what we as a team we’re able to do. I think we all helped turned the program around,” he said.
Williams still has the friendly, down-to-earth charm that made him so beloved at TCU, despite a burgeoning pro career. It should bode well for his future in the league and part of the allure for Gentry.
Williams has been the Pelicans’ defensive stopper since earning a bigger role. That means covering some of the best scorers the NBA has to offer. On Monday night he was tasked with guarding Dirk Nowitzki early when the Mavs’ legend made a jumper to move ahead of Wilt Chamberlain for sixth place on the all-time scoring list.
“With him, he works on the areas where he most needs to improve,” Gentry said about Williams’ hard-working reputation. “There are hard-working guys who are good shooters and all they do is go out and work on shooting. He’s going to get much better. His basketball IQ is very high. We are asking him to cover Kevin Durant one night and LeBron James the next night I think it takes its toll.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2019 at 3:51 AM.
