Key stat shows how Mark Williams can unlock the Hornets’ offense

Most good NBA teams have an elite or solid player at center. As such, the Charlotte Hornets appear to have a bright future ahead of them because of Mark Williams.

The incoming third-year pro has missed a significant number of games in his first seasons in the league, mainly because of his relatively lengthy injury history.

But when healthy, Williams has showcased his promising skills to be Charlotte's long-term man in the middle. He should even be untouchable if ever the organization finds itself in trade talks with other teams.

Mark Williams' offensive rebounding prowess is key for the team

When the Hornets drafted the Duke University product with the 15h selection in 2022, they likely saw something special in him, considering they already had a couple of centers on the roster then and had just picked another big man, Jalen Duren, two spots earlier.

But it didn't take long for the front office to choose between the two rookie pivots, as it traded Duren for a 2023 first-round pick and four second-round selections. There were some concerns about whether the Hornets would end up regretting the move. So far, though, there are no such sentiment in North Carolina because Williams has been as good as advertised when healthy.

One of the 22-year-old's strengths has been his incredible offensive rebounding skills. According to NBA.com, he hauled in 4.0 offensive boards per contest in 19 appearances last season. Incredibly, 2.8 of those were contested. Williams ranked third in both categories behind veterans Mitchell Robinson and Clint Capela.

He has displayed the ability to put his massive frame (7-0 height and 9-9 standing reach) to good use in the boards department. Imagine if he had been able to avoid the injury bug in the 2023-24 campaign. Charlotte likely wouldn't have ranked last in average boards and 27th in offensive rebounds per game.

Hopefully, Williams can finally get a clean bill of health so he can wreak havoc inside the paint for the Hornets on a consistent basis. Having him on the floor could boost his teammates' confidence not to pass up shots, knowing that an elite rebounder will be there to clean up their misses.

In addition, grabbing more offensive boards will also offer the squad more second-chance opportunities, which have been scarce in the past few years.

Of course, the Virginia native's role won't be limited to merely waiting for rebounds off his teammates' misses. He is also capable of being an effective defensive anchor and a rim-runner. With Charles Lee at the helm, fans can expect Williams to improve his craft further and develop into one of the most productive fives in the Eastern Conference.