Men's College Basketball

Tad Boyle has landed Colorado its first 5-star recruit in at least a decade.

Forward Cody Williams announced his commitment to the Buffaloes on Monday, choosing Boyle's program over a hard push from LSU.

"The program and the players are very connected, and they have built a great culture," Williams told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi. "I see myself as part of it. I love the staff and Coach Boyle. When Coach Boyle tells you something, you know it is the truth whether it's on or off the court. It is to help you. He is a very genuine person."

Williams is the No. 23 prospect in the 2023 recruiting class and the fifth-ranked small forward, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick Jalen Williams and arguably comes with a higher ceiling.

Gifted with elite length at 6'8" and athletic fluidity, Williams has the potential to be the best defensive player in his class. He's still very much a work in progress on the offensive end—particularly as a shooter—but his ability to create for himself off the dribble and finish at the rim will give him some leeway as his shot develops.

"I love defense," Williams said. "I am focusing on my defense because most do not give it enough attention. My brother is now getting playing time because he has committed himself to guarding, switching and rebounding."

Landing Williams is nothing short of a massive win for Boyle, who is in his 13th season at Colorado. The program has never come close to landing a prospect of Williams' caliber before, with 2012 forward Josh Scott being the previous top recruit signed under Boyle.

Williams is joined by 3-star shooting guard Courtney Anderson among players in the Buffaloes' 2023 class.

Alex Toohey, an 18-year-old Australian forward who has been playing at the NBA Global Academy, has committed to Gonzaga over Villanova, Michigan and Davidson.

Toohey explained his decision to ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Tuesday.

"Gonzaga stood out with their history of winning and making international players better," Toohey said. "Being able to learn from a great coach in Mark Few will be special."

Givony called Toohey "one of the most promising international prospects committing to the college route" for the class of 2023.

The 6'8" Toohey made his debut for the Australian senior national team in Feb. 2021 and scored 12 points in 17 minutes during FIBA World Cup qualifiers in August 2022.

Givony provided highlights of the versatile Toohey:

The NBA Global Academy is based in Canberra, Australia. It is located in Basketball Australia’s (BA) Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Per NBA.com, the Centre of Excellence has been the home for numerous current and former NBA players, such as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who became the first-ever NBA Academy Graduate selected in the NBA draft.

The Centre of Excellence has also produced other players such as Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills.

As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs have already received a commitment from 4-star forward Dusty Stromer, who is ranked 42nd overall on the 247Sports' composite list of prospects.

Now they add a player with high upside in Toohey, who should help keep Gonzaga's winning tradition going.

Four-star forward JJ Taylor announced his commitment to Memphis on Saturday.

Ranked 63rd in 247Sports' composite rankings, he chose the Tigers over schools including Kentucky, Arkansas, Duke and Kansas.

Taylor transferred to Kanye West's Donda Academy before his junior season along with other stars such as Zion Cruz, Robert Dillingham, Jahki Howard and Jalen Hooks.

"It’s very important for me to be that player, to live up to it,” Taylor told reporters of his national status. “It means something. There is some pressure that comes with that, and I know and expect people to come at me. But I am ready for it and want that. I have to keep working to maintain it, live up to it, to represent Chicago. I know I’m being watched.”

Taylor transferred to San Ysidro (California) High School for his senior year after Donda Academy shut down in the wake of Ye's antisemitic statements.

He has joined Mikey Williams, a 5-star prospect who also committed to Memphis on Saturday.

Top-rated prospect Mikey Williams announced Saturday he will play for Memphis at the next level, per Clayton Collier of ABC 24 Memphis.

Williams will be joined by four-star JJ Taylor, who also announced his commitment to play for the Tigers on Saturday.

Williams, a combo guard, is considered a 4-star recruit and rated the No. 22 overall player in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Williams has also gained plenty of attention for his social media presence, with millions of followers on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. The prep star was the first high school player ever to earn a sneaker deal with a global footwear company when he signed with Puma, per Nick DePaula of ESPN.

"His talent on the court and his ability to connect with young athletes and fans alike will help drive hoops culture forward and inspire the next generation of athletes," Adam Petrick, global director of brand and marketing at Puma, said in a statement.

Williams' on-court play should not be overlooked as an elite scorer who can attack the basket or make shots from the perimeter. The 6'2" guard has turned heads nationally since his freshman season:

It got the attention of all the top programs in the country, although he kept his options open during the recruiting process.

Williams ended up selecting Memphis as he tries to put himself on track to playing in the NBA.

The school can help prepare him for the NBA as he looks to reach expectations as a top draft pick. In the meantime, he should be a high-level contributor as soon as he steps on to campus and likely a go-to offensive option during his freshman season.

Three weeks after the University of Tennessee was fined for fans storming the field following a victory over Alabama, the SEC is taking steps to prevent field and court storming in the future.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Friday a working group is considering strategies to support effective crowd management.

"Current Conference policies need to be reviewed and improved with a focus on addressing field and court incursions by spectators after contests," said Sankey. "The SEC's Working Group on Event Security will focus its efforts on reviewing existing policies, developing new strategies and identifying best practices to enhance crowd management and more effectively address field and court incursions at future SEC athletics events."

According to the announcement, each SEC institution is required to "verify in writing annually to the Conference Office that an event security review of all sports venues has occurred in consultation with appropriate law enforcement" after conference presidents and chancellors approved a regulation last month.

The SEC adopted a policy in 2004 that fines schools if fans storm the field or court after a game. When the rule was initially implemented, fines ranged from $5,000 on first offense to $25,000 for a second offense and $50,000 for a third offense.

In 2015, the SEC increased the amount of fines to $50,000 (first offense), $100,000 (second offense) and $250,000 (third offense and beyond).

Tennessee was fined $100,000 by the conference after fans stormed the field following the 52-49 victory over Alabama on Oct. 15.

The Athletic's David Ubben noted it was the program's second field-storming violation, with the first coming in January 2006 after the Volunteers beat Florida in men's basketball.

Tennessee football's official Twitter account asked fans for donations to replace the goalposts that were torn down during the celebration after beating the Crimson Tide.

Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton is being investigated by the school after a Vols fan posted a video on TikTok claiming Burton smacked her in the head as he was walking to the locker room.

Multiple fans suffered non-life threatening injuries after storming the field in September following a Sun Belt Conference game between Troy and Appalachian State.

The SEC policy aimed at curtailing field and court storming is designed to protect fans, players and coaches.

Gonzaga is reportedly considering a move to the Big 12 amid the continued realignment in college sports, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. But West Virginia men's basketball coach Bob Huggins thinks the Bulldogs might be surprised by the strength of its new conference.

"I would think it would be a tremendous awakening for Gonzaga [to join the Big 12]," he told reporters Thursday.

Gonzaga has completely dominated the West Coast Conference since Mark Few took over as the head coach in the 1999-00 season, either winning or sharing the regular-season title in every season but 1999-00 and 2011-12. They've also won 18 conference tournament titles in that time.

But the Bulldogs have also fared well in the NCAA tournament, reaching two championship games, though a national title has eluded them.

And they've acquitted themselves well in non-conference games, with a 39-12 record against schools from the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, Big East, ACC and SEC dating back to 2017. A Sweet 16 loss to Arkansas was Gonzaga's last result against such a school.

So when they've danced with the big boys, they've generally fared well.

But there's little doubt the Big-12 would be a major step up in competition compared to the WCC. The past two national champions, Baylor and Kansas, hail from the Big-12. Five teams from the conference—Nos. 5 Kansas and Baylor, No. 12 Texas, No. 14 TCU and No. 25 Texas Tech—are all opening the season as top-25 teams in the Associated Press poll.

While Texas and Oklahoma are departing for the SEC in 2025, Houston—which starts the year ranked No. 3—will join the conference next season.

"To get in this league and play who we play day-after-day, I would think it would be a tremendous awakening," Huggins said of Gonzaga's potential defection to the conference. "You don't get to make your own schedule in the Big 12."