A Learner’s Spirit: Darius Adams’ Quest For Consistency

One phone call can change a life. For an All-American freshman searching for a place to make an impact, one connection can make all the difference. 

Darius Adams found not only that connection, but an admiration for Buzz Williams the very first time they spoke. His recruitment to Williams’ new-look Maryland program came with an unmatched strive for greatness. 

“Buzz is someone you can always learn from,” Adams said. “The things he says and the lessons he gives, he's a lesson kind of coach and he always always says the right words. I've definitely learned a lot from him.”

Through just a handful of games in his career, Adams’ prowess, talent, and work ethic are already shining through. He’s learning new lessons every time he touches the court and maturing with every shot he takes. 

“I’ve learned just to keep working, no matter the results,” Adams said. “No matter if I have a really good game or a really bad game, just to always stay consistent in what I'm doing and my habits. I feel like playing at such a high level with older people and a big crowd and all this attention, I feel like it's making me grow up faster and that’s a really good thing.”

His mindset of constant improvement is something that Williams said stands out about Adams. He described Adams as “a learner’s spirit” and commended his hunger for growth opportunities just as much as his evident skills. He’s evolving and growing and learning right before his new fanbase’s eyes.

“They're watching a kid that's gonna try everything to get it done,” Adams said. “They’re seeing a kid that's gonna play extremely hard and do everything out there. Anything the coaches ask me, it will be done. I think they're going to see an extremely talented version of me out there that can score, but also that can do a lot of other things.”

Adams was a highly sought-after recruit. A McDonald’s All-American could go anywhere, but he felt a certain buzz about one phone call that helped him find a landing spot.

“There were a lot of ups and downs in the recruiting process,” Adams said. “Buzz and I kind of had a weird connection over the phone. After one phone call, I felt like I knew him already. Then being around him, it just felt right. I’m definitely glad I’m in this spot.”

Adams held various offers from a number of prestigious programs, including Connecticut, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgetown, Michigan State, and North Carolina. After one trip to College Park, however, he knew he’d found a home. 

“I hadn’t ever visited Maryland,” Adams admitted. “I wasn’t recruited by Maryland before, but when I came down here, I liked the campus a lot. I liked the feel and Buzz just made it buzz. And his staff made me comfortable and made me feel good.”

Despite being new to the College Park scene, Adams didn’t move far from home. A native of Manchester, New Jersey, he’s familiar with the fierce competition of hoops on the East Coast. 

“I feel like the transition has been easier for me, just because I played at a high level in high school,” Adams said. “But I haven’t been perfect. I’ve made some mistakes. I still have things to learn. So it's definitely still been a transition and an adjustment, for sure.”

Adams' sister, Destiny, played at Rutgers. She passed her wisdom of competing in the Big Ten on to Adams when he talked with his family about his collegiate destination. Family plays a big role in Adams’ life, and it serves as his main support system when he plays. 

“It's great,” Adams said. “My family, my parents are here for almost every home game, and every away game, to be honest. It's great seeing my family after the game. My family does everything for me, so it's great to have them close.”

Williams also credits Adams’ family, saying they were supportive of his decision, but also instrumental in his coachability. 

“I really like him,” Williams said. “I like his teachability maybe more than his game. He seeks learning. He’s curious. He’s in the gym often, whether the team’s in there or he’s with a coach individually. He wants to learn, but not just on the court. He wants to watch himself and our team. I like the trajectory that he’s on.”

Despite already logging eight double-digit games and a 20-point performance against a ranked Alabama team, Adams isn’t satisfied. He’s hungry to improve and learn from his new coach and mentor.

“I still think I could play better, but I think it's gonna take some time for me to feel really comfortable out there,” Adams said. “It's gonna take time for the game to slow down for me, but I think I've been doing a pretty good job handling all the things that the coaches give me to do. I think anything they asked of me, I have been able to do. But obviously, I still want to play better. I don't think I've been playing up to my own standards. But as time goes on, you'll see a difference.”

The minutes he’s putting in and the strides he’s taking are even more impressive when remembering that just months ago, Adams was undergoing offseason hand surgery and working to get back to the game he loves. 

“I had a couple months off in the summer and the fall and went through a lot of rehab and a lot of physical therapy,” Adams said. “But I came back into things with my teammates, and it was good because I got back early enough to get back in the flow with teammates and. So it was good that the injury happened early, so that the transition from being hurt to be on the court could be smooth. The first couple of practices, I obviously wasn't myself, but then I started having practices under my belt to start getting comfortable out there.”

A huge supporter of his recovery process was a teammate he shares his New Jersey roots with: senior guard Diggy Coit.

“As far as my teammates go, I would say Diggy is one of the guys that I've leaned on a little bit more,” Adams said. “We're both from Jersey, so there's a connection there. He's definitely always had my back and is always talking to me and always trying to help me because he's been through all kinds of situations. Having him by my side has definitely helped me.”

Basketball was always the path for Adams. When asked what he’d be doing without the sport, the freshman was stumped.

“To be honest, I have no idea,” Adams said. “Zero clue. I like to hangout with my teammates and I watch a lot of TV shows, but basketball is what I do and it’s my life. After my freshman year, going into my sophomore year, I realized that I could take it somewhere. I felt the colleges recruiting me and I think I made a big jump from that and really started to lock in on having a future in basketball.”

It’s evident that Adams is all basketball, all the time. He’s already making an immediate impact on the collegiate scene and striving to meet the expectations of his new coach, team, and fans, but most importantly, himself.