[sammybuckeye13Participant]

Derrick Williams has been putting up great numbers this year, but I didn’t realize how efficient he was until really looking over his stats today. In just 28.3 minutes he’s averaging 19.1 points…but check out how he’s doing it:

He’s averaging 2.27 points per shot attempt!

That is one of the freakiest stats I’ve ever seen. Williams is shooting 64.7% from inside the arc (77-119), 70.8% from three (17-24), and is hitting 75.3% at the stripe. He’s averaging more than 2 points every time he shoots the ball!! We all know that PPS doesn’t literally suggest he’ll get more than 2 points when he puts a shot up, but is that not crazy? Fellow POY candidates (that’s right, I’m including Williams with them) look like they’re shooting from half court in comparison: Kemba is averaging 1.37 PPS, Jimmer is at 1.4, LaceDarius Dunn is averaging 1.53, Nolan Smith is at 1.51, even Sullinger is just at 1.64…they’re all in that same range. 

I don’t care if Williams is 6-8 or 6-9 or turns out to be 6-3. This guy is a lottery lock in my mind, and right now I wholeheartedly agree with this site having him at #6.

[ChrischiParticipant]

That’s a sick stat indeed but he obviously won’t be able to keep shooting like that.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

His height and size indicates he will probably be an average PF in NBA. I don’t have him as a lottery prospect. I would draft Trey Thompkins or one of the Top Euro PF prospect before I touch Williams. This is a deep draft as far as PF.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

He doesn’t have to be a true PF or market himself as one, he reminds of Lamar Odom though he’s not yet as smooth…but same kind of game. Takes advantage in post and fine with taking a jumper with space. And no he won’t shoot 70% from three for the whole year but that tells you something. He’s confident to go out there and can really knock them down. FT% is very solid too. If his athleticism translates well to the L he could easily play the 3 as well as the 4. His skill/athleticism/upside make him worthy of top 6 to me. 

[llperez]

i said before the season that his height would keep him out of the lottery. But not anymore. Pfs will have a very tough time gaurding him becasue of his range and ability to put it on th efloor and explode. He also still might develop into a sf.

[the lake show]

Reminds me more of Al Harrington a combo 3/4

[llperez]

al harrington is a good comparison. I read somewhere that he is a more nasty inside verison of wesley johnson which i can see those comparisons too.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

Him being a tweener (SF/PF) is what really prevents me from labeling him a lottery prospect. If I’m a team drafting in the lottery, and in need of a PF, I would rather use my pick on a pure PF with size instead of a hybrid Forward, who may or may not be an NBA PF, Williams could very well be better suited to be a SF, who knows. But that kind of question mark is why I have him outside of lottery.

[the lake show]

Twiner isn’t a bad thing. How many pure position players end up being garbage?

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I can say the same thing about tweeners, how many of them end up garbage (ex.Joe Alexander)? If you use common sense, if your using such a high selection (lottery) to fill your need at the PF, your telling me a tweener is more atttractive to you than a pure ideal PF? Common sense bro.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

Tweeners are often defined by having a very diverse skill set as much as they are by size. That is, their game points out potential physical disadvantages.

I don’t think Joe Alexander is a good example; he didn’t have a great all-around game and he was absolutely a SF. Now take the 3 players selected right above Alexander in the 08 draft: Love, Gallinari and Gordon; you have Love, who at 6-10/260 has a center’s body, playing the 4 primarily. Gallinari is 6-10 but is naturally more of a 3, though when they Knicks are all healthy he’s been playing a lot of PF. Gordon, meanwhile, is 6-3, but is a definite SG despite insistance that due his height he would have to learn to be a better ball handler to be successful in the L. All those guys were elite-level tweeners and all are carving out great NBA careers. 

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

There are obviously exceptions for tweeners, Eric Gordon was an elite prospect since high school, he was going to be a player regardless of his size. Every player and every situation is different, I just don’t consider Derrick Williams having any elite attribute in his game that would warrant a lottery selection. He would make a solid mid 1st round selection, but drafting him in the lottery I would consider a reach, I would rather have Trey Thompkins, Montejiunas, Vasserly, Sullinger or Valanciunas. All those guys are pure PF, I would have all 4 of them ahead of Williams right now.

[llperez]

No elite attributes to his game? Dude can falt out score. He is tenacious around the rim. He finishes strong and gets to the ft lie at a great rate. He is a terricfic athlete. ANd his perimiter game has grwon leaps and bounds. Very few bigs can stay in front of him on the perimiter and did you see that 71% from three? ANd its not like 6-8 is midget sized or something.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I’m a Warriors fan and it’s looking like were drafting in the lottery. Our need right now is a legit low post player who can score. I would shoot myself if we pass up on the 4 players I mentioned for Derrick Williams. No offense, Williams is a good player but I prefer a pure BIG. Williams will not have his way inside like he’s doing right now when he get to NBA. He could be a mismatch type player if you pair him up with a anchoring defensive/offensive PF/C, but the Warriors can’t accommodate that, I would rather have the typical big body or long PF.

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