What Auburn basketball is getting in 4-star forward Sebastian Williams-Adams
The Tigers put a lot on their 4s, and SWA looks like he has the physicality, skill set and motor to develop into a true two-way mismatch.
(Sebastian Williams-Adams/Instagram)
AUBURN — Through the first few games of the season, Auburn basketball has showcased plenty of versatility and a ferocious defense.
As the Tigers look ahead to the future, it’s obvious that they’ve made both of those qualities a priority in recruiting — especially when it comes to their latest pickup.
On Sunday afternoon, Sebastian Williams-Adams announced his commitment to Auburn over Purdue, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt.
Already listed at an imposing 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Williams-Adams is classified as a top-40 overall prospect and a top-10 power forward in the 2025 class by 247Sports. ESPN has him at a similar spot, while On3 and Rivals still place him as a top-60 prospect and a top-15 forward nationally.
If SWA were to sign with the Tigers, he would be a top-10 recruit in program history, per the 247Sports Composite — slotting between Austin Wiley and JT Thor.
Auburn got the first of Williams-Adams’ official visits this fall, but the Tigers were able to outlast the other contenders for his pledge. Williams-Adams plays for St. John’s in Houston and was a member of the JL3 Elite squad on the AAU circuit.
According to 247, Williams-Adams has a nearly 7-foot-2 wingspan. He’s got an advanced physicality for his age, and he definitely uses it on both ends of the floor. At Auburn, he likely projects as a power forward, as he’s not too far from the size that Jaylin Williams was when he arrived on the Plains as a freshman. He might have a little bit on current Tigers 4-man Chaney Johnson, too.
SWA joins a 2025 Auburn recruiting class that has already signed both 4-star combo guard Kaden Magwood and 4-star in-state wing Simon Walker (For more on Magwood, check out our breakdown on him from last week.)
After going virtually all-in on maximizing experience this season, the Tigers are going to have to hit the reset button next season. SWA is an intriguing frontcourt piece to add to what Auburn could have in the backcourt with Tahaad Pettiford, Jahki Howard, Magwood and Walker. Auburn will undoubtedly hit the transfer portal hard, but having a foundation from the high school ranks is a great move.
We watched plenty of SWA’s tape from his most recent summer run with JL3 Elite in the Nike EYBL Circuit. Here’s our breakdown of SWA’s game and what he might bring to the table for the Tigers next season.
Like with the Magwood breakdown, this piece has a large number of video clips in it. They’ve been separated into several supercuts that highlight a certain aspect of his game, and those will be at the top of each section for this breakdown.
Let’s start with SWA’s biggest standout trait: His ability to generate plenty of offense by using his size and athleticism to get downhill in a hurry.
A runaway freight train when he’s going downhill
Williams-Adams averaged 14.5 points per game in EYBL, and he’s posted back-to-back seasons of 20-plus points per game at St. John’s. That’s pretty impressive, considering he’s not a guard — and the scoring production is almost always tilted towards the backcourts on these teams.