Cody Williams had somewhat of a roller-coaster ride as an NBA draft prospect through his freshman season at Colorado. He will hope to become one of the premier wings and top players in this draft class.
Cody Williams 2024 Draft Profile
Early Career
Williams was the number seven overall player in the class of 2023. He signed with the Colorado Buffaloes and has become a one-and-done player. Williams finished his freshman season averaging 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Williams is an intriguing wing prospect who started the season hot but ended missed 13 games total due to various injuries. An ankle injury causing him to miss the final four regular season games before the postseason was the most frustrating.
Even still, Williams showed that he could be a jack-of-all trades in his lone year with the Buffaloes. He’s also the younger brother of rising star Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Young wings with the production and upside that Williams has flashed usually don’t fall too far in the NBA draft.
Strengths
Williams has great length on the wing at six-foot-eight combined with solid athleticism and skill. While he won’t blow you away in any one area (more on that later), he does produce at nearly every facet of basketball. This swiss army knife approach has made him an intriguing prospect. Williams flashed high-level moments scoring, rebounding, defending, and as a playmaker in his freshman season. For a specific strength of his game without a downside however, his defense was consistently positive from game to game. His physical tools, quick feet, and a solid burst give a great foundation to become a versatile defender for an NBA team. Another consistent trait Williams possessed offensively was his ability to create solid rim pressure and finishing. He’s a good athlete that uses his craft and length to weave his way to the basket and finish over or around defenders.
Also, complimenting this playstyle was his ability to excel in transition and as a play finisher or cutter on offense. These two traits specifically give NBA teams more confidence in Williams’ ability to become a versatile chess piece on the wing. Lastly, it’s also worth mentioning his pedigree as a lesser valued strength. Williams’ older brother was somewhat overlooked in the draft process and is now one of the league’s rising stars due consistent development and work ethic. This may give teams more confidence in Williams’ ability to grow quickly as an NBA player.
Weaknesses
Williams rose to number one pick conversations before a rough backend of the season leveled out his stock as an NBA draft prospect. Scouts were disappointed by his affinity for mediocre performances as he never truly exploded or took over a game. This caused some concerns about how high his upside actually is, specifically in the self-creation department. He may be more of a complimentary piece rather than someone that’s ever counted on for consistent scoring production.
There are also concerns that Williams could become a ‘master of none’ player that never possesses any one elite skill. While this isn’t a deal breaker, it certainly makes teams weary about spending a top pick on someone who’s ceiling may be a rotational wing. In terms of more anecdotal weaknesses, Williams strength and perimeter shooting legitimacy are aspects to look out for. He can certainly stand to gain more weight and strength on his frame, but this should be easily achieved with NBA programming. His shooting however will be a major swing factor as someone who projects to be a versatile wing. Williams shot 41.7 percent from deep (great numbers), but only took 1.7 attempts per game.
NBA Comparison
On the low end, Ziaire Williams’ frame and seemingly polished game coming out of Stanford is a decent comparison. This development path is not what an NBA franchise would be hoping for however. On the high end though, Jaden McDaniels is a common comparison if Williams’ defense reaches elite levels, and his shooting/slashing continue upwards. This complimentary style of basketball as a chess-piece on the wing is what Williams will hope to mimic in the NBA.
2024 NBA Draft Projection:
Mid-to-Late Lottery Pick
