Former Duke Basketball Star Ends NBA Rookie Campaign on High Note

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams spent much of the first half of this season building his confidence in the G League. And it looks like that paid off for the Duke basketball product.

On Sunday, the final day of the NBA regular season, Williams posted a career-high 22 points, going 9-for-10 from the field and 4-for-6 from the foul line across his 30 minutes of action in the Hornets' 106-95 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also tallied 10 rebounds, two blocks, and one steal.

It marked the 7-foot-1, 240-pound rookie's 11th double-double as a pro and fourth in his last five outings.

Career nights for the rooks in Game 82 🙌@ashahahmadi catches up with @MarkWi1liams and @BryceMcgowens5 after the win!@hornets | #LetsFly pic.twitter.com/tFcEJJJEG5
— Bally Sports: Hornets (@HornetsOnBally) April 9, 2023

Looking back, it seems the Hornets were wise to select Mark Williams with the No. 15 overall pick at the 2022 NBA Draft following his two-and-done Duke basketball career.

Not only did the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Final Four participant emerge as Charlotte's primary starter following fellow NBA Blue Devil Mason Plumlee's trade to the Los Angeles Clippers in early February, but he may have also locked up that role for next season.

Williams shot 63.7 percent from the field across his 43 games. In his 17 starts, he nearly averaged a double-double with 11.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, bumping his season averages to 9.0 points, 7.1 boards, and 1.0 blocks.

The Hornets (27-55) only finished ahead of the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference standings. But as a result, they now have a shot to add another dose of star power to their roster via a probable high pick at this summer's draft.

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