3 OKC Blue players who could get their NBA shot after recent performances
By Rylan Stiles
KJ Williams, 6'10, 245, OKC Blue, C
The Oklahoma City Thunder invited KJ Williams to the NBA Summer League in Salt Lake City, and Vegas, back in July. It was there that Williams earned an NBA G League contract to play for the OKC Blue.
With Kameron Woods, KJ Williams has been working on improving his game with hopes of being elevated to the NBA. As injuries around the league mount, and teams look for ways to improve their teams in the margin, Williams could be an interesting option for a team in need of a big man.
So far this G League season, KJ Williams has played in seven games to the tune of 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game while shooting 66 percent on two-point attempts.
KJ Williams just hit a game winner from the Paycom Center logo to sweep the Hustle. Abdul Gaddy tossed the inbound pass to him out of desperation and he came through. 15 point comeback complete, and I heard him call bank. pic.twitter.com/s5gqBtKTlD
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) November 15, 2023
KJ Williams is such a talented shot blocker without sacrificing easy buckets at the rim. Williams is able to deter shots or outright swat away attempts at the cup. While the LSU product product is not someone you want on an island in space, he also will not be exploited in pick-and-roll action.
On the offensive end, Williams shoots a draw-dropping 70 percent at the ring, ranks in the 95th percentile in put backs, and dominates as a pick-and-roll option, cashing in 1.042 points per possession in those scenarios.
The swing skill for KJ Williams getting an NBA chance will be his ability to space the floor. Credit to head coach Kameron Woods for allowing Williams to test out his trey ball in game, but to this point, it has only netted at a 31 percent clip.