The Most Underrated Blue Devil in the Draft
With the NBA draft lottery now complete and the draft itself just over a month-away, NBA franchises around the league are digging deep into the profiles of these incoming prospects. The Duke Blue Devils will be heavily represented at the 2022 NBA draft with 5 prospects (Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin, Mark Williams, Wendell Moore Jr., and Trevor Keels) all expected to hear their names called on June 23rd. While Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin are both projected to be drafted in the top 10, the Blue Devil who is being drastically undervalued right now is lengthy big man, Mark Williams.
Williams began his sophomore season at Duke this year as an intriguing but not highly-regarded big man prospect. Most sports outlets had Williams projected as a late-first/early-second round pick, but throughout the season it became clear that Williams was a definite first-round caliber player. He began to see his name mentioned in the late teens/early 20s as he averaged 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a whopping 2.8 blocks per game on 72.1% shooting in just 23.6 minutes. Now, in the most recent “Consensus Mock Draft” posted by the NBA, many sports outlets have him as a lottery pick. In fact, almost of them (ESPN.com, The Ringer, The Athletic, Bleacher Report and CBS Sports) have Williams slotted to be drafted by the same exact team; the Charlotte Hornets at pick 13.
The Crazy Combine Measurements
At 20 years old, it was suspected that Mark Williams might have grown since arriving at Duke. His freshman year he was listed at 7’0”, his sophomore year at 7’1”, and now at the NBA Draft Combine, he has been officially listed at 7’2” in shoes. He also measured in at having a 7’6.5” wingspan and 9’9” standing reach, both of which were the top measurements in this class. For reference, Williams’ standing reach is 4 inches longer than both Christian Koloko and Walker Kessler. Additionally, Williams’ wingspan is an inch wider than Koloko’s and two inches wider than Kessler’s. It is no wonder that Mark Williams averaged 4.27 blocks per 36 minutes in college last season and won ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
When Mark Williams steps on an NBA court, he will boast the 7th widest wingspan in the entire league. Just Boban Marjanovic, Mo Bamba, Rudy Gobert, Udoka Azubuike, Hassan Whiteside, and Bol Bol would have larger wingspans. Not only this, but it is very reasonable to say that Williams is much more mobile than any of these big-men. Williams weighed in at 242 pounds and 5.4% body fat, so he is much lighter on his feet and his tape showcases this. He can rim run on offense with ease and will be able to hold his own on the perimeter at the next level against NBA forwards and wings.
What Should be Next for Williams?
There should not be a world where Mark Williams makes it past pick 13 as Charlotte is desperate for a big man and Williams fits their scheme and timeline perfectly. Where it will be interesting is to see if he is the 2nd center off of the board or not. It is common-sense that Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren will be the first center taken, but will teams value Jalen Duran or Mark Williams more when they go on the clock?
Regardless of where Williams is selected, at very worst he should become a long-term backup quality center. At his floor he shows similar traits currently to players like JaVale McGee and Hassan Whiteside (when Whiteside actually shows effort). He will be an immediate paint protector and is a solid rebounder who should be highly efficient at the rim both on offensive board put-backs and lobs. Some mid-level players comparisons and realistic expectations of what Williams can mold into are Clint Capela or a larger Robert Williams III, both of which are quality starting centers in the NBA on playoff teams.
Lastly, if Williams is able to get into a good situation and make strides towards his jump shooting and overall defensive versatility he could become an All-Star caliber big. With untapped perimeter skills that do need some development, there are positive signs that he could progress to have these attributes. Most notably, he was a solid 72.7% free throw shooter and showed great instincts as an off-ball defender and appears to have a high-overall basketball IQ. If he reaches his ceiling the team who drafts him could very well be looking at the next Deandre Ayton or Evan Mobley.
Player Comparison Summary
Floor: Higher-Energy Hassan Whiteside/Javale McGee
Mid-Level: Larger Robert Williams III/Clint Capela
Ceiling: Evan Mobley/Deandre Ayton
Most Likely Draft Range
Pick 11: New York Knicks
Pick 12: Oklahoma City Thunder
Pick 13: Charlotte Hornets
