Ten Greatest VMI Basketball Players: Number 1

Hometown: Prince George, VA
High School: Prince George HS
Years at VMI: 2004–08
Position: Forward
-All-time VMI point scoring leader
-2007 & 2008 NCAA Scoring Champion
-5th all-time leading rebounder
-7th all-time assists leader

Seriously, were you expecting anyone else? Surely I couldn't have put anyone that wasn't the single most prolific scorer, a 50% shooter, and a top-ten all-time rebounder and passer at the top of this list. But that's Reggie Williams.

Reggie was born in Prince George County, VA, and attended Prince George High School. Duggar picked him up in 2004, and in his Rat year Reggie made an immediate impression, leading the team with 15.5 points per game on 43% field goal shooting. The team failed to qualify for the Big South Tournament, and did so again in 2005–06, achieving a pitiful 7–20 record. Reggie, however, was one of the few bright spots, and averaged 19 points. Were it not for Matt Murrer shooting 65% from the field (third-best in the nation), Reggie would have led the team in shooting again.

But it was in 2006 where Reggie and his company were put on the map. Following a situation in which two players were kicked off the team and expelled from the school for an honor violation, the team was left with no player taller than 6'7 (Murrer) and had to adjust. Duggar then installed a face-paced, run-and-gun system that continues to live with us today, but in its first year, it was simply chaos on steroids.

Averaging over 101 points per game as a team, and setting the NCAA record for steals in a season (490), VMI put up points by the hundreds and found its way to the 2007 Big South Championship Game, despite a 12–18 regular season, 5–9 in the Big South. The Keydets did this by abruptly changing to a 2-3 scheme, and used a box-and-one to confuse and befuddle the legendary Larry Blair and his Liberty Flames in the quarterfinal round. VMI won 79–78, one of their lowest offensive outputs of the season, as Reggie scored 23 points and hauled in 9 rebounds.

VMI did the same in the semifinals against High Point, as Reggie played every minute of a shocking 91–81 win, while scoring 28 points. But Winthrop, who ended the season 29–5, fought off a scare from VMI as Reggie missed a game-tying three at the buzzer in an 83–80 loss at the Winthrop Coliseum. The Eagles went on to stun Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament as the #11 seed.

Reggie averaged 28.1 PPG that year, leading the nation. In April, he initially decided to forego his senior season and head for the NBA Draft, but thought better of it and chose to return to VMI. He averaged 27.8 points in his final year, just enough to win the scoring title once again. The Keydets were eliminated in the quarterfinals, however, by Liberty, ending a 14–15 season.

Reggie went on to play professionally in France following his graduation, and then excelled in the NBA D-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He made the Golden State Warriors' roster in 2009, where he played for two seasons. He recently played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but is currently back overseas playing in the Philippines.

Reggie scored 2,556 points at VMI, the most by any player in VMI, Big South, and Virginia state history. He grabbed 820 rebounds, fifth all-time, and dished out 368 assists, seventh all-time. Putting it together, there is little debate going against Reggie as the greatest player to ever don a Keydet basketball uniform.