Mark Williams 7'1" 242 lbs

Mark Williams is rim protecting, rim rolling extraordinaire, that despite having 2 teammates ranked ahead of him in this big board, was the most valuable player on the Duke Blue Devils last year. Williams anchors a defense and provides value offensively with soft hands, good finishing ability and sports a good free throw percentage (72.7%). Williams projects to be at the very worst an energy big who anchors a bench unit and likely more than that offering impressive shot blocking, good rebounding and a plausible lob threat. He is rumored to be a favorite for the Hornets and he would thrive next to LaMelo Ball. Williams erases shots at the rim, and I am very impressed by his recoverability when beat on the perimeter meaning he has potential to switch and not only be pigeonholed into being the 7 foot drop big.

Strengths:

• Massive wingspan and standing reach. (Wingspan: 7'6.5") (Standing Reach 9'9").

• Williams would be an excellent volleyball player as he goes up straight and is an explosive jumper which helps him space a floor vertically a la Rudy Gobert and erase shots as well.

• Intelligent and unselfish player who knows his role.

• Great hands around the basket. Can catch lobs and bounce passes when diving to the rim from the dunker spot or as the roller.

• Very active player. Runs the floor hard and well, keeps balls alive on the offensive glass and never gives up on plays defensively.

Concerns:

• Can be out of control on offense when trying to post up to score. (raw in the low post).

• Has not shown a consistent jumper from mid-range or 3 but shot 72.7% from the free throw line.

• Williams tends to dip the basketball when loading up to jump around the rim and that allows guards to influence his shot by digging at the ball.

• Needs to bulk up a little because stronger players can bury him down low at times because he plays pretty upright.

• Does not have the most fluid or flexible hips which allows him to be beat on the perimeter but he recovers very well.

Mark Williams influences the game on both ends of the floor at a high level, converting energy into efficiency. Williams should immediately be an effective reserve big-man anywhere he gets drafted and can develop or be thrust into the starting lineup and have the trial by fire ignite his career. Williams had times in his freshman year he looked a bit like a colt out there in a physical ACC but grew leaps and bounds finishing with a 22 point 19 rebound performance vs Louisville and never let up this year. I believe he could do the same at the NBA level, following a career path reminiscent to that of Clint Capela's, but skipping the year one pains for Capela. Williams will need to get stronger and hopefully develop a push shot or a mid range shot to excel but his effort and mobility on the court coupled with a towering frame scaring scorers out of the middle should lead Williams to a decade of high level play in the NBA.

He is just your prototypical rim running big, but he is an awfully good one. He has a great motor and is a force to be reckoned with. His strength allows him to bully smaller players and get tons of blocks. He has great block anticipation and is patient on the jump. Williams is a solid athlete, and good defender overall. He is an amazing offensive rebounder and pounces on lots of second chance scoring opportunities. One area he is a bit lacking in is perimeter defense, but he makes up for it in his interior rim protection. Williams won’t be a star, and he may not even be a starter. However, he will be a great backup big for any team that needs one. On a team like the Thunder, he could really have a lot of chances to shine.

Comparison: Clint Capela

Projected Draft Range: 9-30

Best Team Fits: Chicago, Oklahoma City, Sacramento

Height 7’2 Weight 245 lbs Wingspan 7’7 DOB 12/16/01 (20 years old) Pre-Draft Team Duke Blue Devils

Offense

• One of the largest wingspans ever. A constant lob and oop threat.

• Developing post game, sound coordination and touch around the cup. Nice baby hooks.

• A definite awareness as a passer. A definite area of intrigue.

• Hugely improved free throw shooter.

• Runs the floor quite well.

• Excellent offensive rebounder who should be able to create a few extra possessions a night.

Defense

• A major shot blocking threat.

• Defends the post well with his size and length.

• Defending in space remains a question and intriguing facet to watch for in year two. He has very good engagement defensively and moves quite well for his size.

• Should be a legitimate rim protector.

• Good rebounding prowess.

Swing Factors Role

• LOW:

• HIGH:

Ranking Scale:

Athleticism: 5/8

3pt shot: 1/10

Finishing: 8/10

Handle: 2/10

Playmaking: 2/8

Defensive Versatility: 7/10

Defensive Positioning: 7/8

Rebounding: 6/6

NBA Fit: 7/10

Total Score: 45/80

Even tho I favor Kamagate it would be really stupid of me to not have Mark Williams in the same tier. Williams is more of a pure rim runner than Kamagate. He has inhumane size at 7'2 with a 7'6 wingspan. Very explosive and strong athlete. On a pure basketball skill level he should probably be higher but just due to the value of pure rim running players I have him a bit lower than most. Rim runners have value on some very heavy PNR teams but overall they aren't very impactful players in terms of winning. Williams will be very good as a roll man and at the dunker's spot and he'll be a really good shot blocker but that's pretty much it. He doesn't show any shot creation or playmaking ability. He's not a shooter and doesn't project to be one. A lot of his defense in college was mostly from him being the most athletic guy on the floor so he doesn't project as that good of a defender in my opinion. Due to his size he probably won't be a very switchable player either. So yeah you know what you're getting with Mark Williams and you know you're not getting much more than that. Def has a place in the league for sure.

Best fits: Charlotte, Atlanta, maybe a team like Portland who trades down

Player analysis

Mark Williams was a lengthy lob threat who brought winning defense to a strong Duke roster, before the Draft combine we knew Mark was long but not many scouts realized he stood at 7'2, had a 9'9 standing reach, and a 7'6 wingspan which come together as elite measurements. Williams is an unselfish defender who looks to actually play team defense rather than stuff rebounding and blocks, he uses his size extremely skillfully and manages to act as a mental opposition even when a shot attempt isn't made. Williams play disrupts the other team on both ends of the court just by sheer presence which makes him a playmaker in a more untraditional sense, that style of play is something that a team defense can work around and is something that can slide in teams existing infrastructure. On offense he can grab a lot around the basket and has plenty of post skills which makes him very efficient inside, NBA spacing and passing should work very well with his style of play. Williams is a reliable player that any team would want and many teams could trade up to draft in the back half of the lottery.

Projection

Draft range: [ 11 - 15 ]

Comp: [ Longer Clint Capela ]

Strengths: Defense and Rim Running Weaknesses: Shot Creation and Strength

High Side Projection: Larry Sanders/Bam Adebayo Low Side Projection: Noah Vonleh/Willie Cauley

Role: Lob Threat and Defensive Anchor

Draft Range: 13-26

Result: 15- CHA

Athleticism: 8/10 Size: 5/5 Defense: 9/10 Strength: 2/5 Quickness: 6/10 Creation: 1/5 Jumpshot: 2/10 Finishing: 4/5 NBA Ready: 4/5 Ball Handling: 3/10 Passing: 3/10 Intangibles: 4/5 Potential: 8/10 TOTAL: 59/100 = Late First

Williams is a terrific shot blocker. He is super lengthy and big and has tremendous rebounding ability. He is a lethal lob threat but struggles to score in the post.

Celling: Hall of Fame/ Rudy Gobert

Floor: Out of this Leauge/ Darko Miličić

Pros:

• Elite defender: great rim protector with good instincts, doesn't bite on pump fakes often, good help defender that can recover from the perimeter to block shots at the rim, potential as a switchable center with quick feet for his size, even though he'll likely work in drop coverage most of the time

• Plus athlete with good motor, lives at the rim and can catch basically everything with his enormous wingspan, good offensive rebounder, great touch below the rim

• Has displayed some shooting touch in the midrange, consistent 70%+ FT shooter, can see him add a reliable midrange in the future

Cons:

• Even though he moves well, he can be played off the floor when the opposing teams run small ball lineups

• Has a tendency to be foul happy when guarding on the perimeter, he isn't quite as disciplined there as he is guarding the rim

• Struggles to put the ball on the floor too much, projects more as a play finisher than creator

Mark has all the tools to be a starting center and anchor a defense for 10+ years in the NBA. I won't be shocked at all if he manages to improve his switchability on the perimeter and develops a good jumper in a few years time. Overall he is a High IQ player, especially on the defensive end, and projects as a great role player.