The 2021 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Ziaire Williams 2021 NBA Draft Profile.
Ziaire Williams Background
Position:Â Forward
Size:Â 6-foot-8, 188 pounds
School:Â Stanford
Class:Â Freshman
2020-21 stats: 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.6 blocks, 0.9 steals, 37.4% FG, 29.1% 3PT, 79.2% FT
Williams had an up and down season at Stanford, but was able to display his talent. Now he is in the 2021 NBA Draft.
As a five-star recruit, Williams chose to stay in the state of California for his college career and played for the Stanford Cardinal. Williams played decently well statistically in his one year in the NCAA. He averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Despite his talent, Stanford was only able to go 14-13 on the year and missed the postseason. Had Williams been able to play in more than 20 games, the Cardinal may have fared better.
Williams decided to go pro, even after having an inconsistent season at Stanford. He is currently projected to be a mid to late first round pick.
Strengths
Williams has great athleticism, which showed up time and time again for Stanford. He can get out in transition, defend well and do much more because of his athleticism. For his size, he has good speed and quickness. He also has solid body control. His combination of size and athleticism should allow him to match up well on the defensive end of the floor if he keeps on working on his game.
His ball-handling is great for his size. At 6-foot-8, he is able to handle the ball like a guard. He can create his own shot by creating separation. This also allows him to get into the lane and create for his teammates. Opponents will have to decide whether they will guard him with a smaller player, who may struggle against his height, or a bigger player, who may not be able to stay in front of him.
While it doesn’t show up in the box score, Williams has been a solid defender. He understands team defense and how to guard his man. With his length and athleticism, he could become a very solid NBA defender. Their won’t be a lot of steals or blocks that come from Williams on a consistent basis, but he will guard his man effectively most of the time.
Weaknesses
His shooting percentages were not great at Stanford and he needs to work on becoming more efficient. At less than 40 percent from the floor and 30 percent from the 3-point line, Williams needs to pump both of those numbers up. One way he can improve is to release the ball quicker. There is a small hitch at the top of his jump shot that slows down his release and likely impacts his shooting percentage.
Williams has grown too fast for his body to fill out. He is 6-foot-8 and just 188 pounds. For reference, LeBron James is 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds. Williams needs to add weight and fill out his frame so that he is able to match up with NBA players. As things currently stand, Williams is in danger of being pushed around at the NBA level. Bulking up may also help him prevent injury.
He shoots way to many mid-range and 3-point jumpers. A player of his athleticism, especially with his bad shooting numbers, needs to stop settling for jumpers and get to the rim. He isn’t the most creative when he gets to the rim and doesn’t have the strength to finish over defenders, but with time he can improve. It would be a better habit to get into the lane rather than shooting shots that just didn’t fall for him consistently in college.
Projected Draft Range:Â Mid to Late First Round Pick
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