Cooper's Rodney Williams: Opponents spread the legend

They will have company. Considered an elite college prospect among his peers in the Class of 2009 -- he has not yet made a college commitment but has several suitors, including the Gophers -- Williams is developing an all-around game to complement his remarkable athleticism. His No. 3-seeded Hawks (22-7) open play at 4 p.m. today against Burnsville (20-9) at Target Center.

"If Cooper can win one or two games this week, it'll be Rodney's tournament," Columbia Heights coach Willie Braziel said. "Everyone will be talking about the skinny kid from Cooper who can jump out of the gym."

Elevation is the operative word when talking about Williams, a 6-5 forward. He averaged 21.3 points per game, good for only fifth in the star-studded North Suburban Conference, but a sign of his rise from role player to difference-maker.

He came off the bench as a freshman in 2005-06 and helped Cooper to its first state tournament. Last season he finished second on the team in scoring (17 points per game). Williams asserted himself defensively this season by using his long arms and springs for legs to contest shots. He blocked 90 shots this season -- including a key block to preserve Cooper's 60-59 upset victory against No. 1 Osseo in the Section 5 title game.

"I'm still working on my defense, getting stronger and working to get my own shot off," Williams said.

Much of Williams' success stems from his leaping ability. He last measured his vertical jump at 28 inches as an eighth-grader. Asked how much larger that number would be today, Williams just smiled. Later he said, "I have jumped over a few guys in summer ball."

In 2006, current Totino-Grace coach Tom Koehn worked with Williams for a summer of AAU basketball with the Minnesota Magic. Even playing with teammates and against opponents several years older, Williams' athleticism set him apart.

Koehn recalled a sequence when a Magic player attempted a free throw. Williams stood on the right side, second from the basket, as the ball came off the rim.

"Rodney jumped, grabbed the ball with his left hand and dunked it," Koehn said. "I wish I had a video of it."

Williams' athletic exploits put the "ooh" in Cooper. The favored Hawks struggled to a 33-29 halftime lead against Columbia Heights on Feb. 6 and needed a spark. Enter Williams, who spun 360 degrees and dunked to start a 14-1 Cooper run.

"I couldn't believe he would make a play like that in a tight game," Braziel said. "There's no question he'll be the top player in the conference next year."

Questions have been raised about Williams' commitment to academics. He did not play against Hopkins early this season because he did not turn in a class project. Williams said he made a "dumb mistake" and learned "that I can't slack in the classroom."

Until he makes a college commitment, Williams will be the state's most coveted recruit. Spring Lake Park coach Grant Guzy called Williams the most explosive player in the conference since Darius Lane last donned a Totino-Grace uniform a decade ago.

Among Williams' eight dunks in Cooper's 58-57 loss to Guzy's Panthers during a game Feb. 8 was a throwdown on 6-5 forwards Taylor Hall and Cory Polta. Both converged on the basket to thwart an alley-oop pass to Williams. They jumped and got their hands about 8 inches above the rim before realizing their best would not be good enough.

"Their fingertips only got as high as Rodney's elbows," Guzy said. "During a timeout, Taylor came over and said, 'I thought I had it, Coach.' We couldn't believe Rodney got up that high."