Does Cody Williams Have a Shot at the Top Overall Pick?
With the NBA Draft Cycle in full swing, just weeks away from NCAA March Madness, there is still no clear-cut number one player in the 2024 NBA Draft. Everyone has their favorites, some more passionate than others, but there has yet to be a consensus top pick crowned.
Could Colorado Buffalos freshman Cody Williams leap up and snag the top spot in the draft this June? It is not impossible.
According to Synergy, Williams grades out as an "excellent" offensive player, producing 1.106 points per possession on all offensive possessions, ranking in the 87th percentile.
For the Buffalos, Williams has dominated in transition with 1.458 points per possession, benefitted on cuts, and has been solid, and projects for vast improvement in navigating the pick-and-roll.
While there has not been a massive sample size for Williams in college due to a wrist injury, there are still some incredibly encouraging signs. Shooting 46 percent on catch-and-shoot looks, 64 percent when left unguarded in those chances, and converting 72 percent of the time at the rim highlights how, much like his brother, he can be an efficient scorer at the next level.
His jump shot is a touch slow, but his set point and release peak suggest he will not have difficulty getting jumpers off. Improving his ability to shoot in the face of defenders, given his length, will make him such a valuable weapon off the ball and eventually translate to him creating his own shot.
He moves fluidly, and his long strides make up for lack of just pure blazing speed. He is unbothered by contract around the ring, and it might actually help him finish better in a strange way.
He understands floor spacing, and where to find windows of opportunities in locating himself off ball, a skill that is raw in a crammed college game.
His handles can get upright at times, but when he is knifing through traffic, he does a great job of using his body to his advantage to protect the ball and get to his spots. He can touch the paint at will at this level, and as he gets better on his comfortable pull-up floater, he projects to be able to be an offensive engine for teams.
The Defensive end really should excite teams, which is saying a lot given that previous engine comment, as Williams already understands how to use his size to his advantage to guard a wide range of positions.
As the NBA continues to shift to a more small-ball or at least position-less style of basketball, in the right organization, the Arizona native can tap into his elite defense potential. At worst, the 6-foor-8 swingman will be an above-average defender in the NBA, using his length to create absolute chaos.
Watching the Buffalo forward hurl himself into and over screens using his length to erase space and take away quality looks for the opposition should make any scout excited. So far, on shots off screens against Williams, opponents are 0-for-10.
Just as he understands offensive spacing, he understands pick up points for his opponent and where to rotate in the half court. This helps him perform at a high level when being put into pick-and-roll actions and hide some miscues from his teammates.
With the small-ball nature of the NBA, you could play Williams at the four, and potentially the five, he only lets up 30 percent at e rim on 30 attempts. This is in large part due to his understanding that every shot does not need to be spiked into the third row.
Instead of worrying about flattening the basketball, the diaper dandy walls up at the cup and takes on contact, staying vertical and forcing misses. He picks and chooses the spots he goes up for a big swat, which pays off. He has collected 13 blocks this season, with a ton of "no stat" rim deters.
In a draft class that has not seen a ton of separation, as Williams gets more games under his belt, his argument for the top spot only becomes louder.
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