I find myself gravitating towards Ziaire Williams lately.
- He's very athletic, fluid, & laterally quick
- He's 6'8" with a 6'11" wingspan
- I like his go-to scoring potential (good handle, has some good moves, is comfortable pulling up)
- I like his shooting potential (smooth looking stroke, high release point, ~80% FT%, confidence in taking the 3 with 8.1 3PA per 100 poss.)
- I like his playmaking potential (unselfish & willing passer, PnR ballhandler ability)
- I like his defensive potential (good IQ/help defender/rotator, length to play passing lanes/alter shots, laterally quick, versatile defender)
His 3P% is a bit concerning, but his FT% gives me hope. Similar to how Patrick Williams shot well from the line but underwhelmed from 3. His weight is also concerning at 185. However, Fox weighed in at 170 and Haliburton weighed in at 185 and both of them have looked promising to say the least. He turned the ball over a lot, but with Fox & Haliburton also on the roster, I could see that be somewhat mitigated as his ballhandling role will likely be less than what it was on Stanford, and he'll have the luxury of defenses focusing on guys like Fox & Haliburton in the short term.
If Williams "hits," you have a long & athletic 6'8" wing who can score, shoot, handle, pass, & defend. I have a hard time seeing that type of ceiling for the other prospects that will likely be available when it's our turn to draft. But not only does he have a high upside, he would also be a good positional & skillset fit with our current core (e.g., Fox & Haliburton).
He seems like he could be a 'best player available' & 'fit' pick at the same time.