Former Michigan forward Terrance Williams II transfers to another Big Ten school

Terrance Williams II is staying in the Big Ten — but not at Michigan.

Williams, a four-year Wolverine who started the past two seasons, announced in an Instagram post Tuesday that he’s transferring to USC for his fifth and final season.

Williams entered the transfer portal on April 4 while simultaneously declaring for the NBA Draft. He didn’t initially rule out the possibility of returning to Michigan and playing for new coach Dusty May to end his college career.

But after weighing his options, Williams decided to commit to the Trojans and new coach Eric Musselman, who will guide USC’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten next season.

“I chose USC because Coach Muss has a history of developing wings with my size and he will help me get to the next level when the time comes,” Williams told ESPN's Jeff Borzello. “His playing style fits mine with his fast tempo and shooting, so I believe I will thrive underneath him. He is also a highly competitive person and wants to win everything, which is what I loved most about him.”

Williams was one of former Michigan coach Juwan Howard’s first recruits and experienced the program’s highs and lows throughout his career, from winning the Big Ten regular-season title and reaching the Elite Eight to setting a single-season program record with 24 losses.

Williams had a career year last season, when he bounced back from a rough junior campaign, his first as a full-time starter. As a senior, the 6-foot-7, 225-pounder averaged a career-best 12.4 points and shot a career-high 39.7% from 3-point range — marks that both ranked third on the team — across 31 starts.

During his four years in Ann Arbor, Williams played in 115 games, with 58 starts, and averaged 6.7 points and 3.9 rebounds.

He’ll take his experience to USC, where he’ll join a revamped roster under Musselman, who is taking over after a five-year run at Arkansas that included four 20-win seasons, two Elite Eights and a Sweet 16. The Trojans finished 15-18 and went 8-12 in conference play during their final year in the Pac-12 last season.

Williams is the fourth former Wolverine to announce his transfer destination, along with Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn) and Youssef Khayat (Bowling Green). But he won’t be the last, after George Washington III re-entered the portal on Monday.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

@jamesbhawkins