ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Donovan Williams made his FIBA West Asia Super League debut more memorable by winning Most Valuable Player honors on Sunday night at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex.
The 25-year-old guard was bestowed with the league's highest individual award shortly after helping the Yellow Castle achieve a historic 'three-peat' by beating Sagesse SC, 75-67, in the Final 8 championship.
He finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds in the championship bout, but was the team's best player during the entire tournament as proven by his averages of 27.4 points and 8.6 rebounds for an efficiency of 22.6.
Formerly of Texas and UNLV, Williams turned a lot of impressed heads right off the bat, firing 28 points and 12 rebounds in their eventual 104-81 rout of Indian Railways on Opening Night last September 26.
He then followed it up with a huge 36-piece alongside 10 rebounds to lead the way in beating Kuwait Club, before dropping another 30-pointer by finishing with 33 in their conquest of Ittihad Club to sweep Group A.
The Houston-native would notch another double-double of 29 points and 11 rebounds to help Riyadi take down Al Ula Club in the Semi-Finals, 82-78, to bring the club a step closer from keeping the crown at home.
Then came the Final, in which he'd contributed down the stretch with a tough bucket from close range to help keep the Green Castle at bay to eventually annex the trophy and extend the team's reign of dominance.
Williams has now become the third Riyadi player to win the plum, joining Thon Maker (2024) and Wael Arakji (2025) as the star tandem helped lay the foundation of the organization's dynastic success in the tilt.
FIBA