KNOXVILLE - The offseason plan for reigning SEC basketball player of the year Grant Williams is to work on his game and avoid the temptation to make popcorn while he studies for the five summer courses he plans to take.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said conditioning is an area where Williams can improve, and Williams agrees, saying that conditioning and defense are what he plans to focus on heading into the 2018-19 season.
That's where avoiding popcorn and working on his game intersect. Williams said a lot of improving his conditioning will come through being mindful of what he eats.
"For me, it was always popcorn," Williams said. "That was always my late-night thing where I'd eat a bag of popcorn and things like that. That's one of the things I've learned not to do."
Williams already has switched out regular milk for almond milk in his refrigerator, and he is learning to reach for "mixed nuts" instead of buttery popcorn when the desire to snack arises.
"We do enough running, we do enough conditioning to the point where it's just about what I put in my body and learning my body and what gives me the most energy," he said.
Williams was the leading scorer for a Tennessee team that finished 26-9 with a second-round NCAA tournament loss to eventual Final Four team Loyola Chicago. The Volunteers are receiving high marks in early projections for next season. With James Daniel the only key contributor out of eligibility, the Vols could bring back a deep, experienced roster.
Tennessee has yet to sign any new players for the upcoming season, though Barnes said after the year that the Vols were hunting for a point guard.
Second-leading scorer Admiral Schofield is exploring the possibility of turning professional and has until May 20 to withdraw his name from consideration for the NBA draft.
"I'll learn from him when he gets back, if he does decide to come back, and I'll be able to pick his brain a little bit," Williams said. "I'm excited because that's something we all want to do, something that in life every basketball player hopes to achieve and hopes to be able to say, that 'I went through the process' and also 'I have a chance.'"
Another goal for Williams is to graduate with his business administration degree in three years. That's why he is taking an intense course load this summer.
"For me, I know my idea was to have an opportunity to pursue my master's my fourth year," he said. "That's always been on my mind and something my family discussed. When I came here, that was something we all had the opportunity to do. Kyle Alexander is a prime example of that. He graduates this May and has a whole other year to pursue his master's degree. To have that opportunity and say you graduated with your master's, not many people can do that."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.