Draft Profile: Patrick Williams
Position: SF/PF
Age: 19
Height: 6 ft 8 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 11 in
Weight: 225 lbs
The Sales Pitch: A big-ish wing with a wingspan somewhere close to seven feet, the headline skills for Sir Patrick are big-time athleticism and the tremendous help defense instincts we’ve come to expect from Florida State University studs. He block shots and get steals at elite rates, and might be the latest in the line of big-time impact defender wings like Ben Simmons, Jerami Grant, and fellow FSU alum Jonathan Isaac. He can can hit threes and defend multiple positions, making him switchable and scheme-proof: he fits into any team structure you can think of. On offense, he plays in the flow of the game and enjoys dunking everything in sight, is a strong pull-up midrange shooter, and keeps the ball moving. Even though his 3-point percentage was pedestrian (32%), his high FT% (84%), solid midrange shot, and great high school shooting numbers indicate he’s better than he showed at FSU. He’s also the youngest American prospect in the draft.
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Elite Skills: Defensive awareness and action.
The Devil’s Advocate Argument: The defensive awareness and stock (steal plus block) rates are well and good, but the offense is a mirage. Shooting 45% from the field as a “big wing” who didn’t have to do much shot creation is very low. His finishing numbers are straight up bad , despite being being a dunk contest athlete. His 3-point percentage in high school was good, but his good form from midrange isn’t translatable to consistent NBA 3-point range, and will at best yield a few threes and no gravity. That jumper would be awesome... in the 90s. For a big wing, he’s also a poor rebounder, getting defensive rebounds about as often as RJ Barrett and LaMelo Ball. His assist/turnover ratio is also 1:2 (not a typo). If Leon Rose is really thirsty for a guy like this he can go get Rondae Hollis-Jefferson or bring back Moe Harkless. Pass.
The Misconceptions: He’s some defense-only athletic small big. His stats don’t show it, but he really is a big wing, down to some crafty hesitation and crossover moves leading into smooth pull-ups.
Important numbers:
84%: His free throw percentage
32%: His 3-point percentage
.24: His low 3-point rate
8.1%: His tremendous combined steal and block percentage
Knicks Fit: He will be better later, with other good players surrounding him. He’d help the defense tremendously, but doesn’t solve any problems on offense. Is he good enough on defense to be that mediocre on offense if he doesn’t pop?
Educate yourself on some other potential Knicks: Killian Hayes, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Onyeka Okongwu, Devin Vassell, Isaac Okoro
