Lanetta and Lanyce Williams are the perfect twins. Not exactly because of how similar their personalities are, but rather, due to the ways in which they differ.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just like having a best friend from Day 1,鈥� Lanyce said.
鈥淲e very rarely even argue. If we ever do, it鈥檚 over something dumb that鈥檚 not even a big deal,鈥� Lanetta said.
Their relationship has consistently grown stronger over the years. Now freshmen on
the University of Memphis women鈥檚 basketball team, the twins are a tremendous help
to each other as they begin their lives as student-athletes.
On the court, Lanetta is typically the more assertive of the two. Off the court, it鈥檚 often the opposite, with Lanyce playing the role of the more social sister.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really funny to watch them function that way,鈥� said Memphis head coach Melissa McFerrin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like they鈥檝e adapted so well to each other that at least one of them is comfortable in every situation.鈥�
The twins also differ in how each of them came to love basketball.
Lanetta was hooked at a very young age. As far back as the second grade, the twins can remember her practicing regularly and constantly trying to learn more about the game.
鈥淟anetta always wanted to play,鈥� said their father, Lance Williams. 鈥淪he鈥檇 pick up on some skills she was probably way too young to be trying and go do it in a game. I remember her trying a crossover (dribble) when she was really young. I had to be like, 鈥榃hat are you doing, girl?鈥� It was always, 鈥榃ell, I saw this on TV鈥� or 鈥業 saw this guy or girl do this the other day.鈥� She was always very into the game like that.鈥�
Lanyce didn鈥檛 take up basketball until fifth grade. Even when she first began, there was some uncertainty as to whether she鈥檇 grow to enjoy it. Lance remembers many anxious moments hoping his daughter would gain confidence on the court.
鈥淲hen she first started playing, she would always end up on a fast-break layup and I鈥檇 always have to close my eyes, lean back and just say, 鈥楶lease don鈥檛 miss, please don鈥檛 miss,鈥欌�� Lance said. 鈥淚 remember one time she shot it and the ball got stuck in the corner of the rim, like a jump ball. At that point, I had to make sure I encouraged her.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see her missing too many layups now, because she鈥檚 always putting in the work.鈥�
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Basketball is in the twins鈥� blood. Their father was an impact player throughout his four years at DePaul (1998-2002). Lance鈥檚 collegiate accomplishments were recently recognized with his induction in the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2019 class.
Following college, Lance played 15 seasons in various leagues overseas. He spent time in Turkey, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Greece and Uruguay.
He wasn鈥檛 completely detached from his family during that time, though. From second through fifth grade, the twins spent every school year in Turkey and returned to the U.S. in the summer.
鈥淗aving them with me so much while playing overseas for 15 years helped me a lot,鈥� Lance said. 鈥淚t would have been a struggle. I wouldn鈥檛 have made it that long and that far without them being with me. I would鈥檝e been worried about what鈥檚 going on and what they鈥檙e doing. It helped me a lot just to be able to raise them while I was playing.鈥�
Balancing family life between multiple countries presented many obstacles for the family. Lance is quick to point out none of it would鈥檝e been possible without his wife Minnetta. A school teacher by trade, she spent time homeschooling their kids. The twins also attended an international school in Turkey, where they helped other students with English while also picking up on the Turkish language themselves.
They were raised in a life that centered around basketball and family while immersed in a foreign culture. It鈥檚 what shaped them into the players, students and people they are today.
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As their father鈥檚 career began to wind down, the twins鈥� basketball future started to blossom.
They remember first drawing interest from Division I schools 鈥� particularly Memphis and DePaul 鈥� while in seventh grade. In eighth grade, they played on a team with and competed against ninth graders. That鈥檚 also when Lance began coaching his daughters and their team that played against some of the top competition across the country.
The following year, college coaches began reaching out to Lance, asking about 鈥渢hose twins that were freshmen鈥� last year.
鈥淚 had to say, 鈥楾hose were eighth graders. Those are my daughters,鈥欌�� Lance said. 鈥淭hey were already recruiting them as Class of 2018. For me, that鈥檚 when I knew they would be able to play at the top level in college.鈥�
From eighth grade until signing with Memphis in November of 2018, the interest from colleges was regular and constantly growing. They seriously considered many of their numerous scholarship offers. Regardless of where they would end up, there was never any consideration given to splitting up.
鈥淲e did our recruitment together,鈥� Lanetta said. 鈥淎ll of it, from start to finish, everything. We told coaches from the very beginning we were planning to go together. There were no ifs, ands or buts about it.鈥�
The twins had a final three of Memphis, Georgia and Ole Miss. Before that list was narrowed, it also included Mississippi State, Miami (Fla.) and Louisville.
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The twins are technically natives of Chicago, where they spent nearly the first decade of their life. The combination of warmer weather and half their family being located in the South brought the family to Memphis. To the twins, who graduated from suburban Arlington High School last spring, Memphis is most definitely home.
During the recruiting process, there were many visits to other schools, discussions with coaches and pros and cons lists created. But when decision time arrived, home was the easy choice for Lanetta and Lanyce.
鈥淢emphis was just our true good gut feeling,鈥� Lanyce said. 鈥淚t had everything we wanted.
We are super close to our family. So, to have a school with everything we wanted,
plus being close to family, it was perfect.鈥�
The uniqueness of the city, as an urban environment in love with its University, also helped influence the twins鈥� decision.
鈥淕rowing up in Memphis, you just see Tigers everywhere,鈥� Lanyce said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt that had an influence on us. And when we were in high school narrowing down our choices, we had so many people who pitched Memphis to us.鈥�
The twins have been on campus since June preparing for their first season as Tigers. Even in just their first few months at the University, it became very apparent to them they made the right decision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so much fun,鈥� Lanetta said. 鈥淵ou know it鈥檚 going to be hard coming in because, obviously, it鈥檚 a whole different level than anything you鈥檝e experienced. At the same time, you get so much help that it鈥檚 not overwhelming. And having a coach (McFerrin) who has been recruiting us since the seventh grade and knows us so well is really a great thing.鈥�
Whatever the future holds, they鈥檝e got each other, with personalities that are just different enough to work perfectly together. They鈥檝e also got their family, and their home city, behind them.