 "Photo: Courtesy of Darrin Williams")
 "Photo: Courtesy of Darrin Williams")
Loyola graduate Darrin Williams thinks learning German is easy. There’s just one problem: they don’t have a word for “boom.”
Williams, better known by his nickname “Boomer,” is a former member of the Loyola men’s basketball team who now plays professionally for the team in Heidelberg, Germany.
The 6’8” forward graduated last May with degrees in communications and business management, and then trained with the Indiana Pacers as well as a developmental league team for the Boston Celtics over the summer.
“I felt great about the situation because the last person from Loyola to even work out with NBA teams was Blake Schilb, and Blake is a legend at Loyola,” said Boomer.
“After workouts, I received calls from numerous teams in Europe, and my agent helped me land a job in Germany. I now play for one of the top divisions,” Boomer said.
The rise to the top hasn’t always been easy for him.
“I started at the bottom, both athletically and as a student. With every year that passed, I grew stronger, both on the court and in the classroom,” Boomer said.
Growing up on Detroit’s east side, Willliams had only a passing interest in basketball until he had a growth spurt at 17 and was encouraged to try out for his high school team. He went on to become the star of the team, and in 2003 played for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team and attended his first basketball camp. Boomer has played with and against future NBA players such as Dwight Howard, Josh Smith and Al Horford.
“I wasn’t an All-American player, but I caught the attention of many mid-major schools, as well as a few top Division I universities. After tearing my ACL during the last game of my senior year, I missed out on the opportunity to play on the AAU national circuit, which would have brought me more exposure to play for top schools.”
“But Coach [Jim] Whitesell showed interest in me and believed that I had a future at Loyola, and I felt that I could contribute by helping our basketball team become more successful in exchange for a great education,” Boomer said.
After overcoming two ACL surgeries that sidelined him for almost two seasons, he bounced back for a successful senior year, both on and off the court.
“My experience at Loyola was life-changing. The new experiences and challenges on a daily basis gave me the opportunity to become a mentally stronger individual. All the late-night study sessions, meetings with coaches and professors and even extra private practices really paid off, because after four years (and one extra year) I could walk across that graduation stage,” Boomer said.
His education at Loyola has helped prepare him for his new life abroad in Germany.
While he is a big fan of the culture and the food, especially pasta and a carbonated apple juice drink called Apfelschorle, the hardest part is being thousands of miles away from family and friends.
“I’m technically by myself, so my teammates are my new family,” he said.
In the future, Boomer hopes to follow any one of his passions for basketball, music or business.
An amateur rapper and investor, he hopes one day to be a successful businessperson or motivational speaker.
But for now, he’s just enjoying his athletic success.
“I feel blessed to even have the opportunity to do what I love to do as a career. I am willing to do whatever God has in store for me,” he said.
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