Mike Cagley, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

May 20, 2025

Lincoln Williams from Memphis EYBL 2025 courtesy Mike Cagley IlliniGuys

I had the opportunity to watch a game featuring the Mac Irvin Fire and their 2026 Top 150 guard Lincoln Williams. Williams is a 6'5" guard who has the ability to wing, off guard and point guard. Like Mingo, Williams is build is thin (maybe a bit thinner than Mingo). Also like Mingo, he takes the ball to the hoop and attacks opposing defenses relentlessly.

• Shot - Williams is a plus shooter. He has a smooth shot motion. His release is quick, and he has a very soft touch. He can clearly score.
• Ball handling - Williams is a solid ball handler. He uses his length to lean into the defender and gets his shoulders in front. When this happens, he goes to the rim hard.
• Rebounding - Williams is willing to go after boards. He's a good leaper and will go over others for boards. He sees the floor on rebounds. He found an open man, snapped an outlet to half court to a guard that ended up getting an easy layout from Williams' outlet pass.
• On ball defense - Williams is a solid defender. He displayed aggression as he was able to block a shot, catch the ball and throw it off the shooter when the Fire really needed a possession.
• Off ball defense - this is a work in progress like it is for many high school players.
• Intangibles - Williams is a plus shooter. He has confidence in his shot. He is also very good at reading the floor spacing. He received multiple passes when he exploited defensive lapses and went to the basket on a back cut. He has the hops to really get up and throw down a lob when the opportunity presents itself.

Williams isn't as physical as Mingo. He can probably shoot better overall. He will need work on his strength - which is similar to what one would expect at this stage. This need to put on weight might ultimately determine what Williams does next. Williams will have to decide whether he wants to develop his skills on the court - but with his frame that might require a smaller school to get on the court quicker. He could also choose to play at a larger school and then be willing to play less minutes as a freshman and put some weight on.

Regardless of other factors, Willams can score. Many schools will want that skillset to be used right away.