Meet the Newcomers: William Mfum

William Mfum (pronounced "M-foom") arrived at South Dakota State in January 2020 to enroll early and join the team as a redshirt for the spring semester. Mfum arrived from Spring Creek Academy in Plano, Texas, where he averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in his junior campaign.

Tell us a little about your life growing up?
I was born in Brooklyn, and my family moved to Columbus, Ohio when I was young. Every city has its tough parts, but I lived on the north side of Columbus and dealt with gangs and some trouble growing up. It was normal to go to school one day and hear that a friend had been killed. Being a kid, I was always looking to make friends and found myself in some trouble, but when one of my friends was killed when I was in middle school it was a big changing point for me, mentally. I had played football growing up, but after that happened I quit and took a year off of sports.

So when did basketball enter into your life?
I was at one of the worst schools in Columbus, and still was getting in some trouble, but there was one time where my mom was crying and hurt and I knew I needed to do better. A gym coach at the school invited me to a tryout for basketball, and I kind of laughed at the idea, but I decided to give it a try when an older friend of mine encouraged me to just see how it went. Next thing I know, I was playing at an open gym tryout and it just kind of came easy for me. I had friends and mentors looking out for me after that, keeping me on the right path and helping me stay focused on basketball and school.

My family and I, though, decided Columbus still wasn't the safest place for me, and that getting out of town to a prep school would allow me to focus on basketball and my studies and not look over my shoulder all the time in a tough neighborhood. My parents are my biggest inspiration, and I know I put them through a lot growing up. So, with their encouragement, I knew it was an opportunity to work hard, help them out and take the opportunity at Spring Creek seriously.

Why Spring Creek, and what did you learn while you were there?
My trainer, Lance Sullivan from Columbus, was hired at Spring Creek and encouraged me to look into coming along with him. He'd been a mentor for me and my parents trusted him, and we knew it was a safe place for me to attend school and work on my craft.

I watched a lot of film with coach Lance while I was at Spring Creek and was in the gym a lot, and that helped me slow the game down when I was playing. The biggest thing for me, though, was that it was my first time away from home so I learned how to take care of things around the house, be responsible and grow up.

What did your recruiting process with South Dakota State look like?
I attended one of the NCAA regional showcases in Houston, and at the time had only one Division I offer because some injuries limited my opportunity for exposure during my first year at Spring Creek Academy. I went to the camp, though, and my team won every game and that gave all of us a chance to get looked at. Coach (Tramel) Barnes was at the camp and started to follow me, and then afterward we were able to get in contact and he told me SDSU liked my aggression on the court.

Coach Hendo called me after that and we talked a lot, and I actually committed before I came on an official visit last September. I was so sure it was the right move because coach Henderson was someone who loved the game and was serious about winning but also wanted to help people grow and mold men. That was important to me.

You made the decision last year to enroll early at South Dakota State. What went into that choice and what did you learn in your first few months with the team?
I always felt like being a step ahead in basketball would allow me to be great, and so the choice to enroll early was really about preparation and getting ahead. I had a lot of fun playing high school and prep basketball with the crowds, but I knew if I skipped my senior season I could come in early, get a feel for the college game and get ready for my first full season.

It was a great decision for me because I was able to see not only how the team worked together and how practices were run, but I saw our guys on their best days and their worst and gained an understanding of how they react to adversity and fight for each other. I remember my first practice though, I was absolutely gassed midway through and I looked at coach Henderson and he looked at me was just smiling, knowing I was toughing through it. It became easier as I worked my way into better shape, and I know that I'll be able to compete right away because I've been able to adjust to the speed of the game.

Fans who watched you in warmups during the 2019-20 season were treated to some highlight dunks. Where did that part of your game come from?
My dad was a high jumper and he taught me a lot. I've always just been a jumper. I remember in that eighth-grade open gym I got a fast break opportunity, decided to go for the dunk and it came easy for me.

Describe the type of player you are, in your own words?
I'm a dynamic player who plays aggressively and gets to his spots. I'm not an elite scorer, but I can get to the bucket if I need and make sure my teammates are set up to score. At the end of the day, my number one objective is to help our team win. That can mean needing to lock down defensively and score very little, or taking a more aggressive approach on offense and get points for us. Whatever is needed, I'll do what I can for our team to be successful.

What are you looking forward to the most in 2020-21?
I know relationships are key to winning, so for me, this next year is really going to be about growing those relationships and getting to know everyone on our team. I want to understand the strengths and weaknesses of our guys, find things we have in common and just grow closer because I think that will allow us to challenge each other and come together to find success on the court.

Mfum is part of an incoming group that includes sophomore transfer Charlie Easley (Nebraska), NJCAA All-American Luke Appel (Kirkwood Community College) and All-State First Team selection Cooper Cornemann (Yankton HS). GoJacks.com will speak with each of the four newcomers over the next month.

-GoJacks.com-

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Willie Mfum

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #2 St. Thomas on March 5, 2026 , Loss , 67, to, 80

Completed Event: Men's Basketball at South Dakota on February 28, 2026 , Loss , 70, to, 75

Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Kansas City on February 26, 2026 , Win , 73, to, 59

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus North Dakota on February 21, 2026 , Win , 91, to, 83

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus North Dakota State on February 18, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 74

Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Oral Roberts on February 14, 2026 , Win , 87, to, 69

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