NBA Draft Recap: Shelden Williams
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by user RotoRob
By Rob Blackstien
Shelden Williams was one of the greatest players in NCAA history. Now the question is whether he can transfer those skills to the NBA.
Taken fifth overall by the Hawks, the 22-year-old Williams ironically will be asked to team with his college nemesis – Marvin Williams, Atlanta’s first rounder last year – to lead the Hawks back to respectability.
The 6’9”, 250-pound power forward was simply a basketball god at Duke, a program that’s seen quite a few studs in Coach K’s days. After setting career highs with 18.8 PPG, 1.1 AG, 1.7 SPG, 3.8 BPG and 74.4% FT shooting in his senior year, Williams became just the third player in NCAA history to reach 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 350 blocks and 150 steals in his career. The others? The Admiral, David Robinson, and Pervis Ellison.
Williams left Duke at the schools all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and with the single-season block record. He was such a legend in school that the Blue Devils will retire his number next year. Of course, entering college he was a bit of a legend as well, having averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and three assists per game as a high school senior.
Reports out of Summer League suggest that he held his own. It appears as though Williams should settle in a top defender and rebounder, and probably just as he did in college, his offensive game will improve over time.
With his dominant presence in the key, he’s been compared to another solid defender who developed into a decent scorer as he matured, Antonio Davis. One potential upside comparison I’ve seen for Williams is Emeka Okafor, but I don’t see him being that gifted offensively for some time, if at all. However, Williams has the capability of being a very special shot blocker, a defensive presence other teams will need to be aware of. And that’s something Atlanta very much is in need of.
Forecast by some to last as late as the middle of the first round, Williams might have been a bit of reach for the Hawks at No. 5, but given the strange fashion in which the draft unfolded, who knows if they could have traded down and still got him.
Williams signed a two-year deal for $6.1 million last month with club options for another two years at $7.69 million. He’s averaged sized for an NBA power forward, but should definitely be a fantasy asset from a rebounding perspective right away. If you’re seeking more offense, however, I would look elsewhere for the coming season.
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Date
Tue 08/01/06, 9:10 pm EST
