It’s hard to quantify what having a player with high energy does for a team, but it’s not hard to see that when Emmitt Williams steps on the court, he brings with him a knack for getting rebounds, and gives the Tigers a spark off the bench whenever they need it.
But the freshman forward also brings short shorts and tattoos that personify who he is as a person and player. The short shorts aren’t a reference to the old-school “Bird and Johnson” days, but they showcase a new set of ink that Williams recently got.
One is of his favorite rapper, Kodak Black. The other is Chuckie — not the evil baby doll, but the character from Rugrats, which is one of Williams’ favorite cartoons.
“I think I have nice legs,” Williams joked. “I just got these new tattoos … what’s the point of getting tattoos if no one can see them?”
Aside from his affinity for ink, Williams has averaged 23.8 minutes per game off the bench for LSU. In each of those 23.8 minutes, Williams brings the energy and goes 110 percent. It’s easy for him to go full speed, because he doesn’t have to worry about pacing himself through a full 40 minutes.
He averages 6.6 rebounds per game, and nearly a block per game, providing a good physical presence on the defensive end, even though he is a bit undersized at the forward position at 6-foot-6-inches.
Williams not only provides a physical presence on the defensive end, but also has been a solid offensive rebounder, with 35 in just 12 games, and in the top three in the Southeastern Conference.
“Whenever we have the ball, it’s just my mindset to crash the boards every time, and coach (Will) Wade preaches getting on the offensive glass, so that’s what I do,” Williams said. “Getting that rebound and getting the team another possession is big, so I definitely put a lot of effort into that.”
Apart from showing off his legs and tattoos, Williams’ main focus is doing everything he can to help the Tigers. And so far this season, he seems to be doing just that.
While he’s on the bench, Williams isn’t distraught or disinterested because he’s not playing. He’s actually more than happy to be able to cheer on his teammates and hype them up when a big play is made.
“When Marlon [Taylor] goes up for a dunk I wish I could pull my phone out and record it,” Williams said jokingly. “I love being on the bench, getting my guys pumped, anything I can do for the team’s success.”

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Mitchell Scaglione

LSU freshman forward Emmitt Williams (24) defends the basket during the Tigers’ 97-91 victory over UNC Greensboro in the PMAC on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018.