Moderators: paulpressey25, MickeyDavis
emunney wrote:Watching Arkansas again and I just refuse to hate the idea of drafting the smartest player in college ball.
trwi7 wrote:**** me deep, Giannis. ****. Me. Deep.
skones wrote:I'm not as down as Kessler as some. I think watching Brook lumber out there has turned some folks off despite him being effective for us for years. Kessler is MUCH MUCH better in pursuit. He's far more mobile than he's being given credit for. For a guy his size, he actually moves his feet really really well because he's always twitchy and always on his toes. Shooting is a concern, but his feel on the defensive end us stupid impressive for 20 years old.
Wouldn't be a LFG pick for me, but wouldn't be a sky is falling situation either.
Emunney touched on it earlier in this thread with trends. This league will become cyclical defensively. The team that zigs the best when everyone else is zagging will reap the rewards. We happen to have a freak of nature with size playing for us. There's an opportunity to double down on that. Giannis's general ability to switch and guard on the perimeter is extremely overrated IMO, he's at his best when he's roaming. Going full switchy switch bois mitigates what he does best. The easier path is just to bludgeon teams.
I have a hard time looking at GS and thinking we wouldn't have just run through them because of their lack of size.
paulpressey25 wrote:I just don’t see it with this guy. But am excited to be proven wrong next season.
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Ron Swanson wrote:I think my issues with Jaylin Williams are that the physical tools don't always match the eye test. Not a great rim-protector despite his length (7'1 wingspan). Jumper looks pretty broken if you ask me (damn near looks like a push shot with that one-arm follow through). And I really question his ability as a switchable defender (2nd slowest 3-quarter sprint at the combine). Great rebounder, great touch around the rim, and an incredibly smart player, but guile and IQ only get you so far in this league if you don't have the necessary athleticism and skills. He seems like an NBA-ready guy but looking deeper, I think the margin for error on him is pretty slim.
M-C-G wrote:Ron Swanson wrote:I think my issues with Jaylin Williams are that the physical tools don't always match the eye test. Not a great rim-protector despite his length (7'1 wingspan). Jumper looks pretty broken if you ask me (damn near looks like a push shot with that one-arm follow through). And I really question his ability as a switchable defender (2nd slowest 3-quarter sprint at the combine). Great rebounder, great touch around the rim, and an incredibly smart player, but guile and IQ only get you so far in this league if you don't have the necessary athleticism and skills. He seems like an NBA-ready guy but looking deeper, I think the margin for error on him is pretty slim.
I feel like a lot of what you described is Al Horford. You know, before he juiced up for our series anyway.
Ron Swanson wrote:M-C-G wrote:Ron Swanson wrote:I think my issues with Jaylin Williams are that the physical tools don't always match the eye test. Not a great rim-protector despite his length (7'1 wingspan). Jumper looks pretty broken if you ask me (damn near looks like a push shot with that one-arm follow through). And I really question his ability as a switchable defender (2nd slowest 3-quarter sprint at the combine). Great rebounder, great touch around the rim, and an incredibly smart player, but guile and IQ only get you so far in this league if you don't have the necessary athleticism and skills. He seems like an NBA-ready guy but looking deeper, I think the margin for error on him is pretty slim.
I feel like a lot of what you described is Al Horford. You know, before he juiced up for our series anyway.
If I had confidence he'd even be 32-36 year old Al Horford, I'd probably spend a lottery pick on him. But Old Al Horford just hit 47 threes in one playoff run. I'd be a little surprised if Jaylin Williams ever hits 47 threes in his entire career....
Ron Swanson wrote:I think my issues with Jaylin Williams are that the physical tools don't always match the eye test. Not a great rim-protector despite his length (7'1 wingspan). Jumper looks pretty broken if you ask me (damn near looks like a push shot with that one-arm follow through). And I really question his ability as a switchable defender (2nd slowest 3-quarter sprint at the combine). Great rebounder, great touch around the rim, and an incredibly smart player, but guile and IQ only get you so far in this league if you don't have the necessary athleticism and skills. He seems like an NBA-ready guy but looking deeper, I think the margin for error on him is pretty slim.
trwi7 wrote:**** me deep, Giannis. ****. Me. Deep.
M-C-G wrote:Ron Swanson wrote:M-C-G wrote:
I feel like a lot of what you described is Al Horford. You know, before he juiced up for our series anyway.
If I had confidence he'd even be 32-36 year old Al Horford, I'd probably spend a lottery pick on him. But Old Al Horford just hit 47 threes in one playoff run. I'd be a little surprised if Jaylin Williams ever hits 47 threes in his entire career....
I haven't even read a scouting report on him, so I am not projecting anything, just struck me by your post that it sounded a bit like describing Al to me.
STRENGTHS
One of the youngest players in the 2020 recruiting class, Williams is a four-star guy from Arkansas who stayed home to play for the Razorbacks. Had a good freshman season, particularly late. But really emerged as a teenage sophomore. Made the SEC’s All-Defense team and earned first-team All-SEC honors. He also made an NCAA Tournament All-Region team for playing well during Arkansas’ Elite Eight run.
Came in with decent size for the center position at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a 9-foot-0 1/2 standing reach. Has terrific functional strength, and great lower body strength. Holds his position with ease, and his strength helps him particularly as a rebounder. Arguably his best skill. Ends possessions extremely well. Reads the ball off the glass and boxes out well.
I think Williams has a case for the highest IQ player in the class. Shows up best on defense. He’s good with how he sees the game and anticipates actions. You see it first and foremost in the way he takes charges. Constantly in the right position on defense, and he makes his presence known. Led the country in charges taken this year. While that won’t necessarily translate toward getting a ton of charges and living off them in the NBA, it goes to show how often he’s simply in the way. Constantly available
in help defense. Rotates extremely well from the weak side. Has great mechanics for using his verticality without fouling.
Williams also is outstanding in drop coverage. Mobile while being strong and big. Clearly thinking the game at a higher level better than most. Will legitimately feint toward the ballhandler in drop, then fall back as the guard thinks the pass is available and gets the steal. Gets a ton of steals for a big by being active.
Has very fluid hips that allow him to drop and cut off angles. Not quick, but he has a case to eventually become a switch defender in the way that Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was, using his activity and intelligence, as well as his willingness to be in the way. Won’t be a difference-maker at it but could give scheme versatility in moments to confuse offenses. Arkansas was about nine points better per 100 possessions when he was on the court defensively. When Williams was on the court, teams generated about 43 percent of their shots at the rim. When he was off, they took about 50 percent of their shots there. He was a legitimate All-Defense guy in the SEC this year.
Offensively, he has incredible dexterity and skill. Can handle the ball at a high level for a big. Very comfortable driving in
a straight line. True centers are mismatches for him. He’s also an outstanding passer for a big. Probably the best short-roll passer in the class out of ball screens. Processes the game quickly and makes the right play almost immediately upon the catch. Diagnoses things early. Can make quick touch passes from the high post to the basket for assists. Reads the help for cross-corner kickouts. Williams also is comfortable enough to dribble a few times to force defenders to come to him, then make his read. Arkansas’ wings always cut toward the rim when he caught the ball because they knew he’d feed them if they were available.
He crushed four-on-three situations when defenders blitzed the ballhandler.
WEAKNESSES
Two significant ones: First, athleticism. He’s not an awesome athlete by any stretch. Very little explosiveness. Doesn’t have much in the way of vertical pop. Had only 14 dunks in 37 games, an extremely low number for a center. Also shows up in his film as a rim protector, but sometimes, bigger guys finish over the top of him. He’ll be an undersized center at the NBA level. Will his ability to get in the way end up being enough to make it work? Or will more athletic, bigger guys be able to beat him? Additionally, doesn’t have awesome foot speed or quickness. It’s seen mostly when he has to close out to shooters and scramble as opposed to when he’s able to sit down one-on-one. Hard for him to stop his momentum and change directions. Could limit his defensive versatility.
Second, how does Williams score the ball right now? Struggles to finish at the basket because of that lack of vertical pop. Made 58 percent of his shots at the rim, a below-average mark for an NBA center prospect. Has the ability to attack the basket against centers because of his ability to handle the ball, but can he take advantage of it if bigs use their length to recover and contest his shot? Everything looks tough for him at the rim: a lot of pump-fakes, in-air adjustments and craftiness. Has good footwork to get to his floater game. Will need it to be effective, but he’s not there yet.
Tries to be a shooter but isn’t all that effective yet. Looks so confident taking them that you want to buy into it, but it was poor
at Arkansas. Made 24 percent from 3 last season. Has a real two-motion jumper that he brings back toward his face before firing. Looks very stiff. Has some misses that make you question his touch. Doesn’t seem to get much rhythm or lower-body interaction into the shot. Mostly has a one-two step into it. Looks like he’s flinging it toward the rim with his arms and wrists. Will need the jumper to be effective at the next level.
Williams has some hilarious flops. Gets hit lightly at times and will drop to the floor and have his legs fly in the air like he’s entirely lost control of his body. Legs almost always end up higher than his chest. Slides backward expertly. Can be somewhat infuriating to watch while you begrudgingly respect it.
SUMMARY
Williams is the kind of guy I truly want to buy into. He’s one of the smartest players in the class, and he has real roles that
you can see working for him. He can be a release-valve short-roll guy who makes plays as a passer, he’ll end possessions as a rebounder, and he’ll consistently be a tough defender who’s in the right spots for a defense. Honestly, he’s smart enough that
I couldn’t get him outside of my top 40 or so. If it works, he’s going to stick in the NBA for a decade. It’s also worth noting that Williams was productive across the board for a young big, making his presence felt across a variety of different parts of the game.
emunney wrote:Kenny Hustle makes it work, can't shoot for ****, and is 6-6. Good size and smarts off the charts = long, good career. Jaylin also shot 42% from midrange and 73% from the line so it's not as if there's nothing to work with shooting-wise.