World-renowned basketball trainer Ryan Razooky, better known as “r2bball” on Instagram, has worked with players from every skill level, including a slew of NBA talent. Perhaps his most salient client, however, is high school phenom, Mikey Williams. Below, Razooky goes in depth with Sideline Sources’ Wenzell Ortiz about Williams’ NBA comparison, his strengths on the court, and how great he will be.
Interview with Ryan Razooky, aka r2bball
If you have ever watched any of Razooky’s videos then you will know that they all take place in his gym, “The Hoop House.” It is about half the size of half a regular basketball court; there are three nets. To the far left side of the main basket is a mural paying homage to the game’s greatest players. While this description does not do Razooky’s gym justice, the takeaway should be that it is a place of basketball solacement. This is not the gym one attends to play 5v5. Rather, it is a space to hone one’s skills and become the best version of their basketball self.
It is fitting, then, that when asked about Williams’ NBA comparison, he instead calls him a “visionary,” mastering his craft in this literal slice of basketball heaven.
“Mikey is such a visionary it’s hard to compare him,” Razooky explained. “His work ethic is a thing of beauty. We’ve been in the gym at 6 a.m., 6 p.m., midnight and everything in between. He’s self-aware which makes him so easy to work with because we are always on the same page with what he needs to develop next.”
Williams, 18, is one of the most scintillating high school prospects of this generation. He is currently a 5-star guard and ranks 15th overall in the class of 2023, per 247Sports. While many tout the San Diego native for his sheer athleticism, Razooky lauds his astute ability to contort his body to manipulate defenders.
“He’s creative with his handle, his footwork & balance are off the charts. He has the ability to go both directions with every move & elevates over defenders,” Razooky said of Williams’ strengths on the court.
Razooky also emphasized that “regardless of the hype he gets he doesn’t feel like he’s made it.” That is high praise considering Williams has over 3.7M followers on Instagram. Being in the limelight ostensibly his entire life, the 18-year-old is friends with some of the world’s biggest stars. See rappers Drake and NBA Youngboy, and NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, for example. Williams also signed an endorsement deal with Puma at 17.
However, despite being inundated with media attention, Williams’ goal of making the NBA has never wavered.
“Regardless of the hype he gets he doesn’t feel like he’s made it yet. Our goal is to make it to the league and have a long and successful career. He is only going to continue improving,” Razooky said.
Williams will be playing at San Ysidro High in his home city of San Diego for his senior year. The high school phenom has a slew of Division I offers, most notably from Kansas, Memphis and USC. While there was burgeoning speculation that Williams would forgo the college route and go straight to the pro level — see LaMelo Ball — his father recently confirmed that they are “all-in on college.”
If you live in the San Diego area and want to advance your basketball skills, do hit up Ryan Razooky. His contact info is in the bio on his Instagram.
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