Mike Davis had his bags packed for a year at South Kent Prep, a boarding school in Connecticut.
But that all changed for the former T.C. Williams basketball star after an official visit to Illinois last Thursday. When he got a first-hand look at the campus in Champaign and the Fighting Illini program, Davis, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward, decided there was no reason to wait another year to play Division I basketball. Instead, he verbally committed to Illinois and will sign a national letter-of-intent at T.C. Williams on Thursday. By Friday, he will be on campus in Champaign.
“Mike qualified academically over the summer and then had an opportunity to showcase himself on the summer AAU circuit and held his own,” said T.C. Williams coach Ivan Thomas. “He more than held his own, in fact. Mike showed he is ready to make the jump right now.”
Davis chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Auburn, Clemson and Bradley, among others. According to Thomas, a year at South Kent Prep would likely have spurred further interest from high Division I programs intrigued by his combination of size and perimeter skills.
The Northern Region player of the year last season, Davis led T.C. Williams to region and Patriot District championships. They eventually lost to Freedom in the Group AAA state quarterfinals and finished 25-4. Davis played just one season for the Titans after transferring from rival Hayfield. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game.
