Breaking down an SWA 30-bomb

Auburn signee Sebastian Williams-Adams was named Co-MVP of a recent tournament, with his campaign highlighted by a 35-point, 16-rebound, 6-assist, 5-steal, 4-block game against Christian High School from California.

For anyone needing a refresher on the Auburn signee, Williams-Adams (or SWA) is a versatile forward capable of defending multiple positions. While highly acclaimed for his defense, he’s also elite around the basket on offense and has some point-forward abilities with his face up driving moves and his vision/passing skills. In other words, SWA and Auburn are a perfect match.

(The Bruce Blog’s Boom Breakdown on SWA)

Williams-Adams is ranked No. 43 in the 247 Composite and plays for St. John’s High School in Texas. 

SWA had some strong AAU showings, playing great defense against top players (including the top ranked player in 2025 and 2026) and putting up some crazy numbers on two-point shots, but I’ve been waiting to see what he does as the top option on his high school team — compared to being more of a specialist on the AAU circuit.

He didn’t disappoint, and he showed off a lot more of his ball handling, scoring, and playmaking skills in this one (for better or worse), giving us some extra insight into his game. Below are most of the highlights from his game.

Passing

The biggest difference in Williams-Adams’ game at the high school level was how much more he handles the ball. He even runs some point guard for his team. His passing looks nice and crisp, while his ball handling is definitely serviceable for his position and age but some improvements there would open up even more of his game.

A few extra makes in this game and Williams-Adams would have had a triple-double.

He throws pinpoint passes up court in transition pretty regularly. Great trait for a great rebounder to have.

High low and other actions similar to what Auburn runs with its current and recent front courts should continue. Not only is SWA a capable passer, but he’s a willing passer even in situations when he could find his own shot if he had to.

Like Johni Broome, Williams-Adams has good awareness of where his teammates are when defenses collapse.

SWA can even kick out and dump off passes on drives. He has potential to be an elite face up guy if everything clicks.

Scoring

This play sums up a lot of Williams-Adams’ driving/slashing ability. If he can get that first step down it is hard to stop him.

He shows good hands on this catch and finish.

Shows his ability to bully smaller defenders, something Auburn likes to use its 4s for.

SWA is so good at getting to the basket and finishing through contact that I’d like to see his touch around the rim, especially with his off hand, get a little softer.

His shot goes in at times and it looks good at times but he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to shoot from there. The repetition shooting drills that come with being in a college program will go a long way.

Defense

Gotta love everything about this play. Helps his teammate against the drive, recovers and contests the pass, recovers again and defends the rim vertically before picking up a big block. Wingspan is crazy.

His ability to stay in front of guards is on full display.

A staple of any SWA highlights.

Bonus from my last SWA deep-dive of SWA versus the No. 1 prospect in prep hoops.

Conclusion

Every game I’ve watched him play has revealed more of his defensive abilities, the same ones that make him a perfect fit for Auburn by showing shades of Isaac Okoro and Chuma Okeke. But seeing him handle extra offensive responsibilities showed me he also has the same kind of passing ability that has made Auburn’s forwards such key parts of the offense.

The Auburn signee is said to have a 7’3” wingspan and constantly demonstrates elite awareness and ability on the defensive side of the ball — that was never in question. This game showed me a lot more of what Auburn has to work with to turn him into the Tigers’ next scoring forward on offense.

I still think SWA’s best fit at Auburn will be the 4, where there will also likely be more minutes up for grabs next season. He needs to work on his outside shooting and ball handling more than anything, which the 4 doesn’t require as much, and he’ll still have plenty of good defensive assignments and switchability from the spot.

I remember watching Okoro play in high school, and you could see the flashes of offensive ability when his team needed it. He would defer to his talented teammates more often than not, but the talent was definitely there for him. SWA’s AAU film puts him in a similar position. The defense is on display but he plays his role so well that you don’t see the rest of his game as often. When his high school team needed the offense to stave off a Christian comeback, he scored 35 points with most of his baskets coming late.

I’m not sure if the rest of his game is as polished as Okoro’s was when he got to Auburn. It might be more in between where Okoro was and where Jaylin Williams was when he arrived, but his slashing ability is already a pro-level skill at times. And the defense… it is very Okoro-like.

As his handle and shot get better, he’ll have more ability to play as a wing. But, at the college level, his size and face-up ability at the 4 could be borderline unstoppable with a slightly improved handle and/or improved shooting consistency. Add one of those and he’s five-star good on both ends of the court.

He doesn’t need those attributes to be successful, even as a freshman, but adding them will make him a pro prospect. His defense and wingspan might even get him there before then.