The pickup line at most elementary schools features a collection of soccer moms, business professionals and assorted others, who wait to collect their children at the end of classes.
Mixed in the after school pickup procession daily at Edna & John Mosley P-8 school in east Aurora is Julian Williams, a Vista PEAK Prep senior basketball standout, who has much more on his plate.
The eldest child of a single mother of four, Williams has to do what it takes to help out for the last two years. That now includes waiting in line for younger brothers, 7-year-old Jamar and 9-year-old Jamir Anderson, when they get out of school.
“It’s very weird,” Williams said of being in the line every day. “I’m the only kid picking up my little brothers along with a bunch of parents. It’s crazy.”
Crazy, but definitely necessary given the dynamics of his household.
The death of his father a couple of years ago created a void that Williams has done his best to fill in whatever capacity that is to help his mother, Marcona Anderson.
So his mother can do what she needs to work and provide financially for the family, Williams’ days consist of getting up early, going to Vista PEAK Prep to get in some shots and picking up his brothers to take them to school before heading to school himself.
Toward the end of the day, Williams focuses to finish his school work so he can leave early, get in his car — sometimes with company from his other brother, Quincy, 15 — and make the 6 1/2-mile, roughly 13-minute trek to pick up his brothers. After he secures them in their car seats, he brings them back to Vista PEAK Prep to stay with him during practice until it is time to go home.
His mother — who makes sure she gets to as many games as possible to support him on the court — couldn’t appreciate it more.
“Julian is my backbone,” she said. “He’s had to grow up fast and he really steps up and helps me. He never complains, he just gets it done…To say I’m proud of him is an understatement.”
Vista PEAK Prep assistant coach John Campbell first started coaching Williams on junior varsity in his sophomore year — when the Bison were a Final Four team in 5A in the best season in school history — and came to learn his backstory as he got to know him.
Knowing all that and what he has overcome, Campbell is in awe of what he sees on and off the court from Williams daily.
“When I was in high school (he played at Grandview), there’s no way in heck that I would have woke up early, come to the gym and then did anything for anybody but myself,” Campbell said. “Let alone have responsibility to take care of my younger siblings and get them where they needed to go, then come back and be a highly above average student and then an exceptional player.”
Williams has a lot to balance academically, athletically and in life at a young age and he is doing so tremendously, though he acknowledges that it can stumble him at times.
As such a large figure in his younger brothers’ lives, he came to realize missteps he made would be reflected in them.
“There were some times when I was talking back at home and not being a good model for them and they they started to do it, too, so I knew I had to change my ways,” Williams said.
“As soon as I cut it out and made the change myself, I got on them about it and things went well.”
Added his mom: “Julian’s not one of those kids that goes out and gets in trouble. He has his days and I give him that space, but he and his brothers seem to be coming together a lot more these days.”
Even with bigger offcourt demands than the majority of his peers, Williams plays a vital leadership type of role for his Vista PEAK Prep team as well.
Head coach Jordan Carter leans on Williams a lot, especially in scoring, as four of the teams’ top five scores from last season departed via graduation or transfer. A 6-foot guard, Williams also is tied for the team lead in assists per game (2.9) and paces the Bison in steals at 2.3 per contest.
Williams (who averaged 4.4 points per game last season) has delivered, as he averaged just under 20 points per game for the first 15 contests and has been even better since then, when Vista PEAK Prep finished on a winning streak that got it into the Class 6A playoffs. Williams poured in 24 points in a win over Manual to start the City League Silver Division tournament and added 25 in a semifinal win over DSST: Green Valley Ranch to bring the Bison to the final.
Needing a win to qualify for the postseason, Vista PEAK Prep earned a 79-62 victory Feb. 21 and a day later, ended up as the No. 38 team among 40 in the 6A playoffs (see full bracket, here). The Bison were set for a 6A 1st round visit to No. 27 Centaurus in the first round Feb. 24, with the winner set to play at No. 6 Cherry Creek in the Feb. 28 second round.
As rooted as he is, Williams also is now turning an eye toward the future, where he hopes to play in college. The Vista PEAK Prep coaching staff is doing its best to find a place for him that will still work in the family dynamic.
“My coaches are like my father figures on and off the court and their putting together film and doing what they can to help me get recruited,” said Williams, who hopes to play as long as he can, but also has an interest in one day becoming an athletic trainer so he can stay attached to sports.
Campbell is certain that anybody who gives Williams a chance will be rewarded.
“As a coach, I know I can count on Julian day in and day out,” he said. “He’s a consistent, he’s driven and he’s going to give us the same thing every time he steps on the floor. …Someone will be lucky and fortunate to have Julian Williams on their roster, in their lockerroom and in their classroom as well. They will be investing in a bright future.”
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports