Grant Williams thread

[Half-Full]

Huge fan of this pick. Ceiling somewhere between PJ Tucker and Draymond.

I hope you are right and at the same time i hope the kid remains himself....Like him so far....I just hope he keeps working hard and keeps the pounds off him...His build is an extra hamburger or two away from going "big baby" on us...that is all...

If he has a nose for the ball like in his high lite reels, we have us a fine player who could even contribute right away!

See embedded before and after photo in this article. Williams is ripped, and he seems way more together than Big Baby on his best day ever. I'm not worried in the least that he will let himself go wild with the burgers.

https://watchstadium.com/news/the-two-sides-of-grant-williams-tennessee-star-transforming-into-nba-prospect-02-15-2019/

[Barnsey]

Anybody who thinks this is a low-upside pick needs to think again. This guy is a learning machine. He learned 7 musical instruments. He has various interests. His mum works for NASA. He says one of his main joys is learning, and you can tell he takes pride in being a quick learner. He is going to absolutely absorb everything he can from the great basketball minds. Not only that, this kid used to be pretty fat in high school and now he is jacked -- a testament to his work ethic. He's going to improve, physical limitations be damned.

To me he is the Malcolm Brogdon of forward prospects. High IQ, low mistake, sees the game from a 5v5 scope rather than a 1v1 scope, so you can run an offense through him, smart team defender, polished fundamentals, upper classman, perceived to have average athleticism so his stock drops, and i know people cite his 3pt as a negative but i think that will be his swing skill. He shot well from long two and his mechanics look good. 81.9% FT on 7 FTA. And i trust him to have the kind of personality that would work hard at it. Honestly i wanted the Spurs to draft him, thought it was a match made in heaven, and was disappointed when they didn't.

Sure he has underwhelming length for his position and that will mean he wont become a superstar, because sometimes there will be matchup problems in certain 1-on-1 situations, but it's not so bad that he's going to be a liability. He is strong and savvy, and carves space easily. Especially in today's NBA his strength will be even more of an edge. What you've got is a great system player. Overall he's so versatile that he'll be a net positive. He's gonna be a guy who can playmake, space the floor, and defend. Plus he'll hustle and bang. Tell me what NBA coach wouldn't give playing time to a guy like that? And i really mean it when i say the offense can run through him. 4.0 assists per 40 minutes might not sound that gaudy, but watch him play and you see how high quality his passes are. This is a guy who passes guys open. He is a legit playmaker. I'm confident that Williams will become a contributing starter on a winning team. It's a good pick, Celtics fans! I'm jealous!

[3D Chess]

^^ great insight, thanks for stopping by Barnsey.

[Green89]

Read on Twitter

[cloverleaf]

Anybody who thinks this is a low-upside pick needs to think again. This guy is a learning machine. He learned 7 musical instruments. He has various interests. His mum works for NASA. He says one of his main joys is learning, and you can tell he takes pride in being a quick learner. He is going to absolutely absorb everything he can from the great basketball minds. Not only that, this kid used to be pretty fat in high school and now he is jacked -- a testament to his work ethic. He's going to improve, physical limitations be damned.

To me he is the Malcolm Brogdon of forward prospects. High IQ, low mistake, sees the game from a 5v5 scope rather than a 1v1 scope, so you can run an offense through him, smart team defender, polished fundamentals, upper classman, perceived to have average athleticism so his stock drops, and i know people cite his 3pt as a negative but i think that will be his swing skill. He shot well from long two and his mechanics look good. 81.9% FT on 7 FTA. And i trust him to have the kind of personality that would work hard at it. Honestly i wanted the Spurs to draft him, thought it was a match made in heaven, and was disappointed when they didn't.

Sure he has underwhelming length for his position and that will mean he wont become a superstar, because sometimes there will be matchup problems in certain 1-on-1 situations, but it's not so bad that he's going to be a liability. He is strong and savvy, and carves space easily. Especially in today's NBA his strength will be even more of an edge. What you've got is a great system player. Overall he's so versatile that he'll be a net positive. He's gonna be a guy who can playmake, space the floor, and defend. Plus he'll hustle and bang. Tell me what NBA coach wouldn't give playing time to a guy like that? And i really mean it when i say the offense can run through him. 4.0 assists per 40 minutes might not sound that gaudy, but watch him play and you see how high quality his passes are. This is a guy who passes guys open. He is a legit playmaker. I'm confident that Williams will become a contributing starter on a winning team. It's a good pick, Celtics fans! I'm jealous!

I generally agree, though it is the combination of limited length, lift and speed that is a bit more cconcernong

[Half-Full]

Anybody who thinks this is a low-upside pick needs to think again. This guy is a learning machine. He learned 7 musical instruments. He has various interests. His mum works for NASA. He says one of his main joys is learning, and you can tell he takes pride in being a quick learner. He is going to absolutely absorb everything he can from the great basketball minds. Not only that, this kid used to be pretty fat in high school and now he is jacked -- a testament to his work ethic. He's going to improve, physical limitations be damned.

To me he is the Malcolm Brogdon of forward prospects. High IQ, low mistake, sees the game from a 5v5 scope rather than a 1v1 scope, so you can run an offense through him, smart team defender, polished fundamentals, upper classman, perceived to have average athleticism so his stock drops, and i know people cite his 3pt as a negative but i think that will be his swing skill. He shot well from long two and his mechanics look good. 81.9% FT on 7 FTA. And i trust him to have the kind of personality that would work hard at it. Honestly i wanted the Spurs to draft him, thought it was a match made in heaven, and was disappointed when they didn't.

Sure he has underwhelming length for his position and that will mean he wont become a superstar, because sometimes there will be matchup problems in certain 1-on-1 situations, but it's not so bad that he's going to be a liability. He is strong and savvy, and carves space easily. Especially in today's NBA his strength will be even more of an edge. What you've got is a great system player. Overall he's so versatile that he'll be a net positive. He's gonna be a guy who can playmake, space the floor, and defend. Plus he'll hustle and bang. Tell me what NBA coach wouldn't give playing time to a guy like that? And i really mean it when i say the offense can run through him. 4.0 assists per 40 minutes might not sound that gaudy, but watch him play and you see how high quality his passes are. This is a guy who passes guys open. He is a legit playmaker. I'm confident that Williams will become a contributing starter on a winning team. It's a good pick, Celtics fans! I'm jealous!

I generally agree, though it is the combination of limited length, lift and speed that is a bit more cconcernong

Check out #s 6, 5,4, and three. He's got lift. 6'10" wingspan combined with his smarts and strength compensate for his size to a large degree. That is not to say that he might have a hard time matching up against some players. As for speed, I would say that he has adequate speed.

Watch on YouTube

[Curmudgeon]

That spin move isn't going to work so well in the NBA. He will need a consistent elbow jumper, and eventually a corner three. He's made for the high post, though, with his vision and passing ability.

[threrf23]

If comparative combine results mean anything, he is slightly slower, yet very comparable to Marcus Smart in terms of agility and footspeed. He lacks hops, but projects to have slightly better hops than Jared Dudley after he turns 21.

Unlike Dray Green and Paul Millsap and to a slightly lesser extent PJ Tucker, he was not an elite rebounder in college, which might speak to a relatively limited ability to impose his will on the game.

[Curmudgeon]

He was the strongest player at the combine, and there was no close second. That's his elite physical skill.

[cloverleaf]

Anybody who thinks this is a low-upside pick needs to think again. This guy is a learning machine. He learned 7 musical instruments. He has various interests. His mum works for NASA. He says one of his main joys is learning, and you can tell he takes pride in being a quick learner. He is going to absolutely absorb everything he can from the great basketball minds. Not only that, this kid used to be pretty fat in high school and now he is jacked -- a testament to his work ethic. He's going to improve, physical limitations be damned.

To me he is the Malcolm Brogdon of forward prospects. High IQ, low mistake, sees the game from a 5v5 scope rather than a 1v1 scope, so you can run an offense through him, smart team defender, polished fundamentals, upper classman, perceived to have average athleticism so his stock drops, and i know people cite his 3pt as a negative but i think that will be his swing skill. He shot well from long two and his mechanics look good. 81.9% FT on 7 FTA. And i trust him to have the kind of personality that would work hard at it. Honestly i wanted the Spurs to draft him, thought it was a match made in heaven, and was disappointed when they didn't.

Sure he has underwhelming length for his position and that will mean he wont become a superstar, because sometimes there will be matchup problems in certain 1-on-1 situations, but it's not so bad that he's going to be a liability. He is strong and savvy, and carves space easily. Especially in today's NBA his strength will be even more of an edge. What you've got is a great system player. Overall he's so versatile that he'll be a net positive. He's gonna be a guy who can playmake, space the floor, and defend. Plus he'll hustle and bang. Tell me what NBA coach wouldn't give playing time to a guy like that? And i really mean it when i say the offense can run through him. 4.0 assists per 40 minutes might not sound that gaudy, but watch him play and you see how high quality his passes are. This is a guy who passes guys open. He is a legit playmaker. I'm confident that Williams will become a contributing starter on a winning team. It's a good pick, Celtics fans! I'm jealous!

I generally agree, though it is the combination of limited length, lift and speed that is a bit more cconcernong

Check out #s 6, 5,4, and three. He's got lift. 6'10" wingspan combined with his smarts and strength compensate for his size to a large degree. That is not to say that he might have a hard time matching up against some players. As for speed, I would say that he has adequate speed.

Watch on YouTube

I don't know what #'s you're referring to there, but only four players at the combine had a worse standing vertical leap than his 26" and eight PFs had faster shuttle run times.

[Half-Full]

I generally agree, though it is the combination of limited length, lift and speed that is a bit more cconcernong

Check out #s 6, 5,4, and three. He's got lift. 6'10" wingspan combined with his smarts and strength compensate for his size to a large degree. That is not to say that he might have a hard time matching up against some players. As for speed, I would say that he has adequate speed.

Watch on YouTube

I don't know what #'s you're referring to there, but only four players at the combine had a worse standing vertical leap than his 26" and eight PFs had faster shuttle run times.

The numbers correlate to the video (top ten plays). Click on the link, and check out play #s 6, 5, 4, and 3. I think you will see that he has lift. Sufficient lift anyway. One can't make those plays otherwise.

[claycarver]

If comparative combine results mean anything, he is slightly slower, yet very comparable to Marcus Smart in terms of agility and footspeed...

I keep thinking I shouldn't say this, but I see Marcus Smart kind of plays when I watch his highlights. Maybe it's his anticipation combined with his strength? I don't know.

[cloverleaf]

Check out #s 6, 5,4, and three. He's got lift. 6'10" wingspan combined with his smarts and strength compensate for his size to a large degree. That is not to say that he might have a hard time matching up against some players. As for speed, I would say that he has adequate speed.

Watch on YouTube

I don't know what #'s you're referring to there, but only four players at the combine had a worse standing vertical leap than his 26" and eight PFs had faster shuttle run times.

The numbers correlate to the video (top ten plays). Click on the link, and check out play #s 6, 5, 4, and 3. I think you will see that he has lift. Sufficient lift anyway. One can't make those plays otherwise.

Just watched. #6 and 5 are good defensive plays but not really with much vertical lift. #5 with more, but you can see still clearly below the riim. And yes, he can dunk. Who in the NBA can't? I like his smarts and solidity and strength. Just saying that combination of physical limitations gives a little pause. He'll likely be fine, but not great because of those constraints.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Grant Williams is my binky. That is all.

[Upperclass]

He has trouble moving side to side and Tennessee played better with him on the bench against certain matchups. He'll be better off on the coaching staff vs playing court.

[Fencer reregistered]

If comparative combine results mean anything, he is slightly slower, yet very comparable to Marcus Smart in terms of agility and footspeed...

I keep thinking I shouldn't say this, but I see Marcus Smart kind of plays when I watch his highlights. Maybe it's his anticipation combined with his strength? I don't know.

Williams looks to be doing the old Bill Russell thing of blocking a shot and controlling the ball for his team. (Or a version of it; Time Lord's looks closer to the actual Russell technique.) Smart's takeaways are usually of a different kind.

[24SecondRule]

Is anyone here old enough to compare him with Paul Silas?

[eris]

Look, nobody wants to hear this, I guess, but we really aren't going to know if Grant Williams' game is going to translate to the NBA or not until he actually tries to play in some NBA games.

I've got hopes that he'll be able to hold his own, but he might not, just don't know. I also think he's going to need to develop a consistent 3 point shot to be more than a deep bench player.

[Curmudgeon]

Is anyone here old enough to compare him with Paul Silas?

Wishful thinking. Silas was an elite rebounder. Williams isn't.

Corliss Williamson is a more realistic comp. Or maybe Jared Sullinger minus 60 pounds of flab.

[eris]

Is anyone here old enough to compare him with Paul Silas?

Oh, yeah! I'm that old, older. Silas had a consistent 18 foot jumper, Williams might be as good at the mid-range. Silas, however, had arms that were probably as long as Williams is tall and he had a butt and knew how to use it. He (and Cowens) imposed their will on anybody they played on the inside...height mattered, but they overcame their lack of it with determination and "slobber knocker" effort. Williams is strong and he is tough, but I don't know if he's "slobber knocker" crazy tough. We'll see.

You know, I think it's going to be the butt that will determine things for Williams. If he can keep it between himself and his opponents and use his strength to, more than, hold his ground he might do something. That was a lot of what Silas did. A lot of what made Barkley a success was his big old butt. The leap and outside shot is what made him a star, but the strength and big butt is what made him a success.