2019 NBA Draft: 6 Reasons for Atlanta Hawks to Draft Grant Williams at #10 Overall

Defense

Much of a player’s defensive upside can be explained via his measurables. In this area, Williams lacks the upper-tier length or quickness of some players in the 2019 NBA Draft class. Though immensely strong and boasting a terrifically ripped frame (6-foot-7, 236 pounds, 6-foot-11 wingspan), the simple truth is that he lacks the lateral movement and burst that the most fearsome defenders have.

However, that does not mean he will be a liability for the Atlanta Hawks on that end. The Hawks desperately need to address defense in the 2019 NBA Draft, and Williams projects as a terrific option in small-ball scenarios.

A recent trendy comparison for Williams is P.J. Tucker of the Houston Rockets, who uses his immense strength to play the five against some of the best teams in the league, and the hope is that Williams can do the same thing – or at least serve as a free safety and help-side savant to allow John Collins to serve as a standstill rim protector (which is a skill set that JC has admittedly not yet flashed in his career).

Good at communicating on the less glamorous end, Williams has generally strong court awareness and uses that to surprise people with opportune double-teams and shocking blocks – as his 5.3 percent block rate per KenPom would attest.