Patrick Williams entered this season as a relative unknown on the national stage. He must have used that as a bit of motivation because he was outstanding in his freshman campaign for Leonard Hamilton and Florida State.
Patrick Williams 2020 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Williams was the 26th rated recruit in the nation and a five-star out of North Carolina. He brought ridiculous athleticism to the court and had an instant impact on a very deep Seminole roster. He averaged 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in just 22 minutes of action. Williams was so impactful in these minutes that he ranked fourth on his team in win shares and box plus-minus, which are two statistics that do a decent job accounting for overall impact.
Ultimately, Williams earned All-Freshman team honors, as well as winning ACC Sixth Man of the Year. Florida State enjoyed one of its best seasons in recent memory. They won the regular-season ACC crown and were poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Williams played a large part in that.
Strengths
Williams is absolutely going to be a project. With that being said, he has some tools that are a great foundation to turn into a solid player. First and foremost, his athleticism and size allows him to be used all over the floor. Williams checks in at 6’8 225. He was mostly a four at Florida State, but he could certainly play the three as well. He has great quickness and super bounce which will help if he is facing a bigger opponent. Williams also has the body to punish smaller players on the block.
Adding to above, Williams has above average handle for someone that is a forward. He can easily handle the ball on the wing and get himself to the rim. He definitely can improve on this, but for his size, Williams’ handle is a strength.
The last major strength for Williams is free-throw shooting. This may seem minor in the grand scheme of things, but you will see why it’s important for Williams. He shot 84 percent this season on nearly three attempts per game. Clearly, he has the form of a good shooter. This gives him a good foundation to work with a shooting coach once he gets to the league.
Weaknesses
The first concern with Williams is his poor shooting numbers, outside of free throws. Williams shot 46 percent from the field, including 32 percent from three. For a guy that is very athletic, he should have better shooting numbers because most of his shots are coming around the paint. Also, 32 percent from three on two attempts is bad. Williams clearly has the foundation to be a good shooter, but he is a bit lazy with his mechanics when it’s not a free throw.
Additionally, Williams plays like he is inexperienced. He can disappear at times on the offensive end when he is not aggressive. He also lacks a playmaking feel for the game, which can come with experience.
Along with that, Williams can have a questionable motor at times. He plays very hard when there is a tough opponent like Duke, North Carolina, or Louisville, but in smaller games, he can struggle to stay locked in. All of these weaknesses can improve with more experience, but Williams is definitely a project.
NBA Player Comparison
Markieff Morris. Williams will be split between the wing and the four spot. He will be tasked with bringing energy, defending, and rebounding in his early years. Everything after that will be gravy until he develops his offensive game.
NBA Draft Projection
Late first.
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