The Hornets Got Their Center in Mark Williams
The Charlotte Hornets have finally found their center
With the 15th Pick in the NBA Draft, the Hornets selected Mark Williams from Duke
Over the past few seasons, the Charlotte Hornets' center position has been a chasm of disappointment. Dwight Howard, Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo, and Mason Plumlee have all had a crack at the job and all failed to register as impact players. I firmly believe Mark Williams has a good chance to finally fill the role as a foundational defensive centerpiece.
The Hornets had the opportunity to select Jalen Duren or Mark Williams, the best true centers in the 2022 Draft, and through an unconventional way, the Hornets ultimately chose Mark Williams. "It's an area we need help in. We know he's a great kid and we know he works hard.. {Mark Williams] gives us size, rim protection, and can rebound the ball," said Mitch Kupchak after selecting Mark Williams. To say the Hornets need help in the things that Mark Williams potentially brings is an understatement. This season the Hornets were 21st in defensive rebounding, 10th in opponents' paint points, tied for 1st in opponents' 2nd chance points, and had the 8th worst defensive rating in the NBA. Williams has a chance to make an immediate impact on this Hornet's team, and he's confident he can do that. "I feel like I'd provide that immediate rim protection, and be that lob threat on the offensive end," said Williams after his pre-draft workout with Charlotte.
Mark Williams is truly a physical specimen. Williams measured in as the tallest player at the combine (7-foot-2 with shoes), with the highest standing reach (9-foot-9) and the largest wingspan (7-foot-6 1/2). The standing reach is particularly noteworthy, as it's the second-tallest only to Tacko Fall (10-foot-2 1/2!) among combine participants in the last 22 years (as far back as NBA.com's database goes). Rudy Gobert, for instance, has a 9-foot-7 standing reach. His length matched with his leaping ability allows him to completely erase shots at the rim.
In his sophomore season at Duke, Mark Williams averaged 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in less than 24 minutes a game. What makes him special is his ability to erase shot attempts at the rim and use his length rather than his body. Williams times blocks well which is a tremendous skill for a big to have to stay out of foul trouble. What Charlotte has lacked over the years is players who take pride in playing defense. This is something Mark Williams ABSOLUTELY provides. He delights in blocking shots and protecting the rim. Offensively, he's a limited big but he excels in what he does. He plays at the dunker spot and positions himself well to get easy looks right at the rim. Williams finished virtually everything shooting 79.3% right at the rim (per CBB Analytics). I'm sure LaMelo Ball is giddy at finally having a big like Mark Williams who he can trust to catch the ball and finish plays. Mark Williams has great hands and a wide catch radius. He's an easy target and as long as you throw it close to the rim he's going to finish it.
Mark Williams also has the potential to stretch the floor at the 5. Mitch Kupchak noted that Williams is a better shooter than he gets credit for and that he impressed in the workout. Mark Williams shot 5-9 on jumpers last season although it was a small sample there is some upside there. He shot 72.7% from the free-throw line which shows that there's some shooting potential there. According to NBA Draft Expert Rafael Barlowe some people in the NBA believe he can develop into a stretch 5
The biggest question Mark Williams has to answer is if he can become the long-term center partner for LaMelo Ball. LaMelo has had underwhelming centers in his young career to say the least: Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo, Mason Plumlee, and Montrezl Harrell. LaMelo needs a center who's going to be able to rim-run, finish lobs, and dominate at the rim. I believe Mark Williams checks all those boxes. He's a hyper-efficient center who showed great touch around the rim and cuts hard the basket with purpose. Williams shot 89% on cuts, 71% rolling to the rim, and 60% on put-backs via Synergy.
If the roster remains the same Mark Williams won't have much competition to get a starting spot on the Hornets. I believe he can beat out veteran Mason Plumlee for that spot. One thing I preach with Mark Williams is patience. It takes time for big's to develop and adjust to the NBA pace. He's not going to be able to everything Charlotte needs from him as a rookie. There are going to be learning curves, there's going to be times he's put on an island with a guard and his feet look like they're glued to the ground. It takes time to become a huge impact player in the NBA. Nevertheless, I believe Mark Williams is going to be a good player in this league for a long time.
