Robert Williams III
Position: Forward
Height: 6-9
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Weight: 237
School: Texas A&M
It’s the time of year again when NBA scouts, pundits and fans start throwing around one ever-popular word: potential.
Perhaps no player has more of that in the 2018 draft than Williams, whose sheer athleticism has left those that follow the league drooling.
NBA
Williams took a gamble when he decided to return to school for his sophomore season in 2017-18, but he proved to be the same high-flying missile for the Aggies. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native put up 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds a game to help lead Texas A&M to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Equally as impressive, Williams made his mark on the defensive end. He recorded 2.6 blocks a night as he was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after winning the award outright as a freshman.
Consistency with a dose of explosion? Yeah, there are teams at the next level that would love to get their hands on a player with those characteristics.
Strengths
In a game that is getting more athletic by the day, Williams fits right in.
Sure, the highlight-reel dunks get most of the attention, but it goes deeper than that. Williams moves extremely well on the floor, whether in tight spaces or out on the break. He also displays the ability to handle paint catches or lobs at the rim.
Still, it’s the mix of skills on the defensive end that could make Williams special. He’s an aggressive defensive rebounder. And even though he’s a shot-blocking threat, the 20-year-old doesn’t typically chase his way into falling for pump fakes (just 2.0 fouls a game during college career).
Here’s a good look at one sequence from the Big Dance to capture just how dangerous Williams can be when on his game. You’re not going to find many bigs that can swat a shot, get out in transition for the monster finish and then still sprint back down the court to grab a board.
Weaknesses
Raw. One look at Williams on the offensive side shows that he doesn’t have much in the way of moves. Beyond a dunk or right-handed jump hook, I’m not sure you’re going to find any film of him scoring another way at Texas A&M.
That lack of a scoring package, which includes a free throw percentage that dipped from 59.0 to 47.1, is definitely a worry as Williams takes the next step.
How he’d fit with Sixers
The Sixers already have their All-Star center in Joel Embiid and a rugged power forward to complement him in Dario Saric. However, with Richaun Holmes’ status still up in the air, Williams could easily slide into that energetic backup big man spot for the team. But that’s not exactly a skill set/role you want to spend the No. 10 pick in the draft on, right?
NBA comparison
There have been plenty of uber-athletic bigs to reach the NBA in the past decade, but let’s hit close to home and say Nerlens Noel. Williams’ body is much further along than Noel’s likely will ever be, but both are quick-twitch leapers who can cause havoc at the rim on both ends. They need a proper point guard to set them up for buckets, but if they are able to expand their offensive repertoire (an extremely big if), there is the potential to be special.
Draft projection
Williams will likely be there when the Sixers are on the clock at No. 10, but it’s a better chance that he goes in one of the final couple lottery spots.