Charlotte Hornets NBA Draft Profile: Ziaire Williams

The Charlotte Hornets own their own first-round pick (11) and are owed second-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets (57) and the Los Angeles Clippers (56). Over the next couple of months, leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft, Swarm & Sting will take a look at prospects hoping to hear their name called on draft night.

Stanford’s Ziaire Williams is one of the players banking on potential and upside in this year’s draft class. His freshman season with the Cardinal was disappointing from not only a record standpoint but also statistically. However, Williams flashed enough of his skillset to convince NBA scouts that he’s a first-round talent.

Age: 19

Height: 6’8

Weight: 185 lbs

Stats/Awards

Williams’ stats do not help his case at all. In his 20 games played (14 starts), Williams put up 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with shooting splits of 37/29/80.

However, context is crucial. We’ve all been impacted by COVID-19 in some way, that’s no different for Stanford and Williams. Stanford couldn’t conduct normal workouts, stayed in a hotel for over a month, didn’t play at home until the second half of the season, and Williams battled against injuries and the loss of a family member. That’s an extremely hard season to play through.

Primary Strengths

When talking about Williams, the focus word is potential. All across the board, this guy is oozing with potential that’s waiting to be unlocked. Williams has the upside to be a true go-to-scorer. He’s smooth and fluid with the ball in his hands and has that quick twitch skillset that allows him to create space and get to his spots. He seems to be most comfortable when working with the ball in his hands.

Williams’ shooting percentages aren’t good, but he has good form and a solid free throw percentage so there is hope that he can put it all together. He’s also flashed some playmaking potential, he’s likely a score-first player but with a unique handle of the ball, he can be a willing playmaker and creator for others. At 6’8″, this has to be pretty intriguing to scouts around the league.

On the defensive end, Williams is very solid. He uses his length and athleticism well to stay in front of defenders and make winning plays. He’s a good team defender but the hope is that as the years go on, he can truly be a solid on-ball defender.

Primary Weaknesses

Williams needs to improve his consistency as a shooter. His field goal and three-point percentages are not good at all for a player projecting to be a score-first forward. He struggles to drive and finish through traffic, making it necessary that he can at least be reliable from distance.

Williams also averaged 2.9 turnovers a game; a lot of his turnovers came due to overdribbling and a lack of strength when trying to fend off defenders.

Williams also isn’t as explosive as one would like. I find that he plays below the rim a lot even at his height. He usually doesn’t explode on dunks unless he has the space to jump off two feet.

Draft Projection

Williams is likely to be a first-rounder but just how high he can go is still in question. I think he should be a lottery pick based on potential alone, but considering just how raw he is, we could see him slide into the late 20s.

In all likelihood, Williams will be available when the Hornets are on the clock at 11. As a young team that prides itself on player development, they definitely shouldn’t shy away from a player like Williams. The best version of Williams is exactly the kind of player that Charlotte should be looking for when they’re on the clock to add to the mix with LaMelo Ball and their other young players.

The 2021 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, July 29 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft will be televised on ABC (first-round only) and ESPN.