THUNDER BAY – After being named the best basketball player in Canada in 2015, Jylisa William headed overseas to continue her career in the professional ranks.
The Atlanta native enjoyed a stellar rookie season in Germany, but things didn’t go so well when she landed in the Czech Republic a season later.
An arm injury forced her to hang up her sneakers and find a job in the real world, working at the largest children’s hospital in her hometown helping admit patients and guide them through their insurance paperwork.
While she enjoys the job, Williams is itching to get back into the game in some shape or form.
Earlier this week she returned to Thunder Bay, where she helped Lakehead Thunderwolves coach Jon Kreiner conduct a high-performance camp, scrimmage with this year’s squad and help provide advice to veterans and rookies alike – including fellow OUA most valuable player Leashja Grant.
Walking away was tough.
“Tough isn’t the word. I still have nightmares at times, because I just want to get out there and play again, even college ball, just the whole lifestyle, not having to go to work, doing the 9-to-5. I play kickball now to keep my juices going,” said Williams before practice on Wednesday night.
“I definitely have to stay active. Not playing anything is not in the books.”
Williams, who spent two years in the U.S. army after leaving Georgia State, said it was a definite step up in competition when she arrived in Europe to play for Evo New Basket Oberhausen in the German Damen Basketball Bundesliga.
“The level of play in Germany is completely different. It’s physical … I had to get adjusted to the physical aspect of it. It didn’t take long. But it taught me a lot. And you’re playing against really tall people. Europeans have twin towers up there, but other than that, it was just basketball IQ.”
Now that her playing days are done, Williams said she loves giving back. She’s helped out at her old high school and said she’s got plenty to teach the next generation.
“I had a great coach when I first started playing and I feel like he was the one aspect that really put me at that level of knowing the game. So just mentoring (young players) and sharing the knowledge I have and all the different situations – I’ve been in many different countries – kids kind of look up to it and try to listen more, so to help them out in that way is great.”
Kreiner said he believes Williams has what it takes to be a successful basketball coach.
“The kids gravitate toward her. She’s a natural. She wants to coach and pretty much anything she’s put her mind to she’s been pretty successful at,” Kreiner said. “But she also has a good demeanor for coaching. She’s intense, but at the same time she accepts what she can’t change.”
Beyond the arc: The Wolves have signed former St. Ignatius standout Karissa Kajorinne, who has missed the past two seasons with an injury … Star forward Leashja Grant spent part of the off-season with the Bahamian national team.
