Jonathan Williams: Atiba Lyons adds versatile combo guard to Sheffield Sharks’ roster

The 26-year-old, who hails from Farmington, Michigan is a graduate of the University of Toledo where he averaged 19.6 points per game in his senior year.

Williams has since embarked on a professional career in Europe and has represented GTK Gliwice and Polpharma Starograd Gdanski in Poland as well as Okapi Aalstar in Belgium’s top tier.

He averaged 15.2 points per game with 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists during the 2019/20 season in Poland and enjoyed a career-best performance in that time with 29 points and six rebounds in one match against King Wilki Morskie Szczecin.

Sharks head coach Atiba Lyons said: “Jonathan is a versatile combo guard with a great resume in European basketball. He is a scorer with the ability to provide for his team-mates.

“He is a great system player but also has the ability to create for himself. I feel he will be able to step in right away and contribute.’

Williams, who also goes by the nickname ‘Jon-Jon,’ will join captain Mike Tuck, Jordan Ratinho, Marcus Delpeche, Aaron Anderson, Joe Jr Mvuezolo, Nate Montgomery and Oscar Baldwin in Sheffield for the 2021-22 British Basketball League (BBL) season.

Two more new faces will be unveiled before the first tip-off of the campaign against Cheshire Phoenix at Ponds Forge on 24 September, Lyons told The Star earlier this month.

The Sharks will also play Leicester Riders at home on Friday, 17 September in one of three pre-season games.

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