The Time Lord: Welcome Robert Williams!

[threrf23]

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[FlatearthZorro]

I like the pick for where we were, and I like the Capela comparisons, but sleeping through you introductory press conference? Sounds like there are some other red flags as well which caused him to drop like he did and I hope he doesn't turn out to be like that Sean Williams kid from BC a few years back.

At any rate, I like the pick while recognizing it's a risk. He could provide something this team is lacking. Just hope he's not a knucklehead.

He posted a pick of the C's instagram at 2-3 am I think probably even later. I think he got drunk as **** and missed the conference call.

[sam_I_am]

Yabba who?

Think this guy they drafted last night gets Yabusele's spot...He's more Robert Parish than anyone we have had on the team since....

Now, if someone can teach him to shoot close in and make his free throws, we are good!

Hard to figure that a projected lottery pick who also happens to be a big would fall to us at 27?

But I'll take it......Danny is lucky like that ....We get a top tier prospect at a position of need without having to trade up to get him...Almost like if we had had another top 5 pick handed to us....

I think of him as the modern NBA version of Perk. Perk needed to learn to work, including work on his body, and was actually quite a bit behind Williams in that he was just an overweight high school player when drafted (at the same spot in the draft). Of course, Perk became a team leader beyond his talent, and was even employed last year just for that sort of leadership and discipline.

Still, I could see him as a defensive stalwart and 5th starter on a championship team--just as Brad described, with four other shooters on the floor. In that context, his not needing a lot of touches becomes a feature rather than a bug. That he can switch and defend out to the perimeter of course is also perfect for Brad's system.

Perk was younger, but I see what you are saying, he is a big bruiser, Perk is less athletic and heavier, but I agree a modern perk, a poor mans Clint Capela, etc.

I see Ben Wallace.

[jfs1000d]

I am reading up on him, and I really like what I see and read.

It really looks like he was played out of position in college, and the college game didn't know what to do with him. How the F does he only get 16 PnRs in 30 games?

That makes no sense. College basketball is awful. Just roll and lob. WTF.

[ddb]

If Robert Williams embraces this opportunity in Boston and really gets to work, Boston can be a great situation for him. The Celtics have the guard play and wing play that should really open things up for Williams to do what he does best, which is defend, rim run and finish.
In year 1 he should be able to provide spot minutes and energy off the bench because what he does well are skills that the rest of the roster doesn't really have. Horford/Theis can do SOME of the lob catching and shot blocking...Williams in time will be elite in those areas.
He needs to work on his game and his character. He needs to learn from Horford and develop good habits. If he does that he should be able to have a long and successful career in the NBA.

[Gomes3PC]

If all we get is Jarrett Allen from the Nets last year, that's a nice bench piece. If he becomes some analogue of Capela, we found our long-term replacement for Horford at the 5. Very rare to have that kind of upside at #27.

[Gomes3PC]

I am reading up on him, and I really like what I see and read.

It really looks like he was played out of position in college, and the college game didn't know what to do with him. How the F does he only get 16 PnRs in 30 games?

That makes no sense. College basketball is awful. Just roll and lob. WTF.

Few reasons:

1. In general, terrible offensive sets in college
2. TAMU had no PG
3. They had only three guys on the roster who could credibly shoot the 3
4. Williams had to play at all times next to a complete back-to-the-basket college big in Tyler Davis

The benefit of Williams having to play out of position and without spacing is that he developed some really nice interior passing skills with Davis, hit the offensive glass hard so he could create touches for himself, and when he was focused he ran the floor extremely well.

His perimeter D skills as a big, his rebounding, his rim protection and ability to finish above the rim mean he can stay on the floor in the modern NBA despite almost certainly never becoming a jump shooter. His lateral quickness is really a sight to behold.

Keys for him will be:

1. Becoming adequate at the line so he's not a hacking candidate
2. Learning to play D on a string, especially off the ball. Can't chase blocks / zone out on weak-side defense
3. Becoming an elite screen-setter (please, please Al teach this kid!)

If he can do those three things on top of his day-1 skills, he will be a 25 MPG big who can be trusted in crunch time.

[ZeroTolerance]

I think of him as the modern NBA version of Perk. Perk needed to learn to work, including work on his body, and was actually quite a bit behind Williams in that he was just an overweight high school player when drafted (at the same spot in the draft). Of course, Perk became a team leader beyond his talent, and was even employed last year just for that sort of leadership and discipline.

Still, I could see him as a defensive stalwart and 5th starter on a championship team--just as Brad described, with four other shooters on the floor. In that context, his not needing a lot of touches becomes a feature rather than a bug. That he can switch and defend out to the perimeter of course is also perfect for Brad's system.

Perk was younger, but I see what you are saying, he is a big bruiser, Perk is less athletic and heavier, but I agree a modern perk, a poor mans Clint Capela, etc.

I see Ben Wallace.

All good comparisons....defensive minded stopper....could develop some added skills over time....

I suggested Parrish as a high end sort of thought....Before "The Chief" landed in Boston, he too was known more as a defensive player....But a change of scenery and the type of offence that we played was perfect for him....Hopefully, something similar could take place with Williams?... Agree that he fits in with what Brad likes to do...and we already have a ton of offence to surround him with...Still can't get over how lucky we were to get this guy!

[Baller1234a]

Watch on YouTube

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

I'm still shocked that they only had him roll to the rim 9 times this collegiate season. 9. TIMES. You'd think they'd give him that many opportunities during each game. Sounds like Brad is ready to utilize this kid the right way.

[Valid]

So after some thought, here is what I see in Williams:

Ceiling: Clint Capela/DeAndre Jordan

Floor: Dewayne Dedmon/Ed Davis

Basement: Jordan Mickey/Jarvis Varnado

Heck, even if he becomes Dedmon, that would be awesome.

[AzogTheDefilier]

WELL

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He's probably in the gym working on his free throws.

Robert Williams admits oversleeping introductory conference call with Celtics

He overslept. LOL -- time zone and stuff. Cs aren't concerned.

[ZeroTolerance]

I'm still shocked that they only had him roll to the rim 9 times this collegiate season. 9. TIMES. You'd think they'd give him that many opportunities during each game. Sounds like Brad is ready to utilize this kid the right way.

Yeah it's almost scary to think about that possibility....Add another potent weapon to the arsenal....

[Larry Legend 33]

Kid is off to a bad start. If you want to show up all the teams who passed on you due to work ethic issues, maybe SHOW UP to your 1st day of work...

I'm fine taking a gamble with his sort of upside, but the discipline needs to be instilled from this day forward.

[ZeroTolerance]

WELL

Read on Twitter

He's probably in the gym working on his free throws.

Robert Williams admits oversleeping introductory conference call with Celtics

He overslept. LOL -- time zone and stuff. Cs aren't concerned.

Either excuse or explanation is fine with me....I'm just tickled that we got this kid at 27.....That's just nuts!

[Baller1234a]

Williams is listed at 6’9 with a 7’4 wingspan, but hasn’t been officially measured. Capela measured at 6’11 (in shoes) with a 7’4.5 wingspan.

Capela’s height advantage should not be dismissed, but Williams is a stockier 237 than Capela’s 222 when he was drafted. Both players are athletic rim-runners and rim-protectors tailor made for spread pick-and-roll systems.

So, when looking at it all, Williams and Capela are about as similar as two prospects will ever get. Capela may have had slight advantages in height, dexterity, and quickness, but Williams is a little stronger, a bit more promising of a passer, and maybe even a touch more explosive.

https://www.thestepien.com/2018/06/20/robert-williams-clint-capela-valuing-big-men/

Great Article. Explains more that I put on here and goes into more depth.

[Curmudgeon]

Dwayne Dedmon has 3 point range. Bad comparison.

[ZeroTolerance]

Kid is off to a bad start. If you want to show up all the teams who passed on you due to work ethic issues, maybe SHOW UP to your 1st day of work...

I'm fine taking a gamble with his sort of upside, but the discipline needs to be instilled from this day forward.

You could expect a little bit of youthful euphoria to creep into all the hoopla and excitement of draft night...This kid probably never thought in his wildest dreams that he would land on a contending team in need of his special skillset...He must have nearly pissed himself?

Hoping he puts the nose to the grindstone and works hard over the summer months...And shows up ready to make his mark this fall.

[rochrist]

Bamba is a better shooter but Williams is a more active player.

Thanks. Yet Bamba went 21 picks earlier?

I mean, if you're serious then: Bamba doesn't have the motor issues, character issues, medical concerns that Robert Williams has. Bamba has historic level wingspan. Bamba has shown better defending and rebounding than Williams as well as reasonable shooting potential and decent low post moves along with a 68% FT shooting in college so you can actually play him in games when it matters as opposed to Rob.

For those reasons and more Bamba is being compared to Rudy Gobert and Robert Williams to Nerlens Noel.

Rob Williams is the perfect flyer at 27 for this team as a casualty of the modern NBA and concerns if there is a role for him. But that doesn't mean Bamba isn't a significantly better prospect.

I thought Bamba DID have motor issues. Plus, Williams is a thousand times the athlete that Bamba is.

[Valid]

Dwayne Dedmon has 3 point range. Bad comparison.

lol.

First of all, it's DEWAYNE Dedmon.

Second, Dedmon attempted one three-pointer before this past season. He hadn't even SNIFFED three-point range up until that point, which was his fifth year in the league at age 28, so who is to say that 20-year-old Robert Williams won't develop some range later on in his career? It was a good comparison; both athletic bigs who can protect the rim and rebound.

But you are the only one bitching about this pick, so I should know not to take anything you say seriously by now.