NBA Draft: A Potential Hidden Gem for the New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans: Patrick Williams is a 2020 NBA Draft Sleeper
If you are not familiar with Patrick Williams, you are not alone.
He came off the Florida State bench and his numbers don’t exactly jump off the page. He averaged just 9.2 points and four rebounds a game, but somehow won ACC Sixth Man of the Year.
This made me think there must be more to Williams than his numbers.
Williams is a 6-foot-8, 225 lb. forward who can defend multiple positions, shoot from the mid and long range, handle the ball and run the floor.
In his highlight reel, you’ll see him do a little bit of everything: shooting the 3-pointer, getting to the rim and finishing, playing tough defense and handling the ball.
Did I mention that Williams is only 18 years old? He already has an NBA frame as a teenager and as he grows and puts on additional strength he projects as a potential lockdown defender in the NBA.
With all of these strengths it seems like Williams is a no-brainer lottery pick, so why is he mocked so low?
One of the reasons is that Williams shot just 32 percent from long-range on only 1.7 attempts per game, which isn’t great at the college level.
But there are plenty of guys who didn’t shoot much in college who ended up being capable long-range shooters. He reminds me of a young Jae Crowder, strong and raw, but with decent mechanics that project into an above-average 3-point shot.
Williams shot 83.8 percent from the line, a number that often translates to 3-point shooting at the next level.
Williams averaged a steal and block per game in college and has the size and quickness to be an elite defender, especially against bigger wings.
Perhaps his most intriguing quality is his ability to handle the ball. At his size, he could run the pick-and-roll, and either get all the way to the rim or pop out for jumpers, at which he is already efficient.
All of these qualities could turn into Patrick Williams being the best player in this draft, but how would he fit on the New Orleans Pelicans?