The Utah Jazz needed to take the best player available with the 10th overall draft pick on Wednesday night, even if it meant choosing someone who didn’t fit the position the Jazz needed. If that player was also a versatile wing, that would be the best case scenario for Utah.
Enter Cody Williams.
There was no guarantee that Williams would be available to the Jazz with the 10th pick. There was talk for several weeks that Williams could be selected in the top seven. Still, the Jazz were hopeful.
In addition to all the information the team had before the pre-draft process, the Jazz were surprised by Williams when they interviewed him at the NBA Combine in May. They then brought him to Salt Lake City for pre-draft workouts, which solidified their impression of Williams – that he had top-10 potential and that if he was on the board at No. 10, they would take him. .
Williams told local reporters Wednesday night that when his agent asked if he wanted to know what range he would be selected in, he said he would be surprised.
“I didn’t know I was going to go from 1 to 10, 1 to 15, 1 to 30, 1 to 60, like I didn’t really know,” he said. “I’m excited to be a part of the Utah Jazz and really can’t wait to get there and get to work.”
Williams further said that he loved the Jazz’s practice facility, calling it “obviously top notch” and saying that his workouts went really well. During workouts he said the team noted that if he wanted to be able to play at altitude through 82 games, he would have to get in better shape and work on his body, gaining significant strength. He also noted the need to become a more dynamic shooter, which is the only real flaw in his game that analysts have pointed out.
In his lone season at Colorado, Williams showed defensive and offensive versatility and shot 41.5% from 3-point range, but that shooting came in low volume (1.7 attempts per game) and mostly on catch-and-shoot opportunities. So the question is, can he be a reliable shooter who can make shots on the move, off the dribble and in spot-up situations and in high volume when needed?
The Jazz believe the answer is yes and Williams believes the same.
Furthermore, Williams is right about the need to develop your body and work on it. Although he has an incredible NBA frame at 6′6.5″ with a 7′1″ wingspan, he is on the lighter side, which is completely understandable for a 19-year-old. All signs point to Williams being able to fill in and produce at a high level on both sides of the ball.
How might Williams fit with the Jazz once he’s ready to play legitimate NBA minutes? Well, he said it quite well himself on Wednesday night.
“I think I fit in with this group of guys because of my versatility,” Williams said. “Being a two-way player, I think I bring defense right off the bat, which I think every team needs, but especially with the young core we have. Because of the talent that we have on this team, being able to create not only for myself but for others, and then attack with my defense, I think I can help with my length. That’s how I see myself fitting in.”
Jazz sees exactly the same thing.
He observed that Williams was capable of making plays with the ball in his hands, but was also smart as a slasher, cutter and screener. He’s quick decision makers, a good passer and can play both sides of the pick-and-roll. Defensively his length and versatility will be tested in the NBA, but he has a great defensive base.
The Jazz were in need of taking the best available player on the night, but they were also hopeful that they could find a versatile, two-way wing who could become a long-term solution to their wing-deficient roster. They came away with one of the most promising two-way players in the draft.
Discover more from news2source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
