Baylor basketball signs 4-star forward to 2026 class
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Signing Day is here for college basketball and Baylor has officially signed a player to its 2026 recruiting class. On Wednesday, head coach Scott Drew and the Bears announced the signing of four-star forward Elijah Williams.
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The son of former NBA head coach Monty Williams, the 6-foot-6 prospect is ranked as the No. 31 player in the 2026 class. Williams held offers from programs like Arizona, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Washington, among others, but chose to commit to coach Drew.
As of now, Williams is the lone player in Baylor's 2026 class, but the Bears aren't done looking. In today's age of college basketball, it's not as paramount for a team to sign a bunch of high school prospects. The transfer portal is arguably as important as the recruiting cycle.
Welcome to the family, Elijah! 🐻
— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 19, 2025
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Press release (Scott Drew talked about Williams' signing
WACO, Texas –Baylor men's basketball head coach Scott Drew announced Wednesday the signing of Elijah Williams, a 6-foot-6 small forward from San Antonio, Texas. Williams becomes the newest member of the Bears' 2026 signing class.
Williams is rated a four-star prospect by On3 and 247Sports and checks in as the No. 31 overall recruit nationally, the No. 12 small forward in the country, and the No. 3 player in Texas. Williams is ranked No. 40 in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2026.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Elijah to the Baylor Family. Elijah comes from an outstanding basketball pedigree with his father, is a great teammate and fits the modern age of basketball to a tee. He's extremely versatile and can affect the game in a variety of ways. Most of all, the Baylor Family will love how Elijah represents our school on and off the court. We can't wait to welcome him here in Waco."
Williams currently attends TMI Episcopal (Texas) and had a strong 2025 spring season competing for JL3 on the Nike EYBL circuit, ranking 10thin scoring at 19.8 points per game. The San Antonio, Texas, native shot better than 41-percent from the three-point range through 11 games and averaged 5.4 rebounds.
Additionally, Williams is the son of former NBA player and head coach Monty Williams, who played for five different franchises from 1994 to 2003. He was the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans (2010-2015), Phoenix Suns (2019-2023) and Detroit Pistons (2023-2024). Williams also earned NBA Coach of the Year for the 2021-22 season after he guided the Phoenix Suns to an NBA-best 64-18 record.
Williams' sister, Faith, is also a Baylor alumnus after completing her Masters in Accounting and BBA in the spring of 2023.
Williams signed with the Bears after receiving offers from Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Notre Dame and others.
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