By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Like many men in their mid-20s, Darnell Williams has a foot in two worlds.

One in youth, as a basketball player still chasing his dreams. One in adulthood, as he and his girlfriend prepare for the birth of their child.

One foot in his past, as the former Xavier star spends half the year playing in Venezuela, where his ancestors lived. One foot in the future, as he spends the other half as a substitute teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools.

It's hard to plan your future when it can change by the minute.

"For now, I'm going to play basketball until my legs fall off," he said.

Williams will leave in about 10 days for Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, for the six-month pro season. Last year, his first in Venezuela, he helped lead his team - called Marinos de Oriente - to the nation's Pro League championship. He said he averaged about 12 points in the regular season and 18 in the playoffs and was named rookie of the year.

Each team there can have two American players, but Williams doesn't count against Marinos' limit. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is allowed to claim dual citizenship because his father is from Venezuela. Williams still has an aunt and two uncles in Venezuela and speaks decent Spanish.

He went there after spending one season with the now-defunct Cincinnati Stuff and playing for a traveling squad called One World All-Stars.

Williams ranks as the No. 13 scorer in XU history, and he's the only Musketeer to have beaten archrival Cincinnati twice when the Bearcats ranked No. 1. A serious knee injury after his junior season, in which he was the leading scorer (17.3 ppg), dampened his NBA hopes.

Girlfriend Brigitte Bishop is expecting a boy in April, and Williams said his team would let him return home for the birth.

"I'm trying to grow my 7-footer. Then I can retire early," he said.

Williams dreads being away after his child is born.

"Some days you try to call (home) and you can't get through," he said. "That'll be the roughest part. But it's nice knowing I've got something to play for."