The OKC Thunder should look for Grant Williams to make an impact in year one with the 21st pick in this years NBA Draft.
The NBA Draft is just a few weeks away, and the 21st pick has been one of the most talked about picks in the upcoming draft surprisingly. The reports started almost as soon as the OKC Thunder were bounced from the NBA Playoffs, that the team had promised away their draft pick to Matisse Thybulle, that promise was later debunked, and now reports have swirled that Sam Presti could be looking to trade the 21st pick for salary cap relief which raises a ton of questions.
Grant Williams had one of the most prolific careers’ in Tennessee University men’s basketball history.
Williams improved each of the three years he spent at the University of Tennessee and grew into one of the most pro-ready players the Vols have seen this side of Tobias Harris.
Grant Williams can do a little bit of everything. One thing he can not do though is a big red flag for the OKC Thunder: Grant Williams cannot shoot threes. At the college level, Williams was just a 32 percent 3-point shooter in his final season with the Volunteers. He topped out at 37 percent per game with one attempt per game in his freshman campaign but that was the one area he regressed in his tenure.
32 percent at the college level with the difference in the defense and rules is not even close to passable. Couple that with most college shooters taking a step back from deep from their college numbers in their rookie seasons due to the nature of the backed up 3-point line, and it is safe to predict Williams will be even below that 32 percent watermark in the 2019-20 season.
The OKC Thunder have proven they will overlook an inability to shoot, but the fanbase will not be too pleased if the Thunder come away from the draft without the perimeter shooting production increased.
Could Grant Williams, despite his 3-point struggles, be a viable option for the OKC Thunder in this year’s draft?
Specifics:
- Height: 6’7.5″
- Weight: 240
- Wingspan: 6’9.75″
- Position: SF
- Age: 20
- College: Tennessee University
- Home Town: Charlotte, North Carolina
| Season | G | MP | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 32 | 25.4 | .504 | 1.0 | .375 | .667 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 12.6 |
| 2017-18 | 35 | 28.8 | .473 | 0.7 | .120 | .764 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 15.2 |
| 2018-19 | 37 | 31.9 | .564 | 1.2 | .326 | .819 | 7.5 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 18.8 |
| Career | 104 | 28.9 | .516 | 1.0 | .291 | .758 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 15.7 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/5/2019.