2011 NBA Draft and Offseason Blog
Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Derrick Williams a Power Forward or Small Forward? - June 22
Other than Marquette and Wisconsin, I have watched more Arizona Wildcat games in the past two seasons than any other team. (And remember, I have watched more than 900 college basketball games in the past three years.) Seeing Derrick Williams' meteoric rise on NBA Draft boards during that time has been rather remarkable. And now, barring a crazy trade or some dumb David Kahn decision, Williams will be one of the top two picks in Thursday's 2011 NBA Draft.
Williams was not a five-star recruit when he first arrived at Arizona. In fact, he barely cracked the top 100 by some of the major recruiting Web sites out there. He only ended up at Arizona after getting out of his national letter of intent at USC when Tim Floyd resigned in the wake of the O.J. Mayo scandal.
But Williams made his impact on the college game right away, leading Arizona in scoring and rebounding as a freshman. He took his game to a whole new level this past season though, earning First Team All-American honors and nearly carrying the Wildcats to the Final Four. As his success built and Arizona continued to rack up wins, Williams' NBA Draft stock began to soar.
"It's pretty crazy, kind of like a movie coming out of nowhere," Williams said at the NBA Draft Combine. "A lot of people knew my potential, I just didn't get to show it because we weren't winning all that much. Going from 16-15 to 30-7 at Arizona brought the best out of me as a individual."
The 6-9, 248-pounder saw his exposure peak in the Sweet 16 when he was absolutely beastly in the Wildcats' 16-point upset victory against No. 1 seed, Duke. Williams posted 32 points and 13 rebounds while making 11 of his 17 field goal attempts, including 5-of-6 from downtown.
"I think before that game people had me at 10-15," Williams said of his draft range prior to the Sweet 16. "Winning the Duke game, the whole tradition, how good they are, put me over the hump to a top five, top three."
The biggest development in Williams' game this past season was his improved outside shooting. He connected on a shocking 56.8 percent of his triple tries in his sophomore season and showed growing confidence from beyond the arc as the year progressed, especially since he only attempted 16 three-pointers as a freshman. He also played a good portion of the season with a taped right pinky on his shooting hand which had no negative effect on his improvement. Add that improved outside shot with this strength, length, and quickness on the block, and athleticism in the open floor, and Williams has an incredibly well-rounded offensive game.
Through the entire draft process though, Williams has been adamant about the fact that he is naturally a small forward and NOT a power forward. Considering he primarily played either the four or five during his two years at Arizona, that thought raised some eyebrows and caught some criticism during the past month.
"I'm not a power forward, I want to clear that up," Williams stated. "I'm a small forward who can play the four. There's a big difference between power forward and small forward and tweener. If I have a mismatch, I'm going to do things like I did this year. If I have a slower guy I'm going to take him outside, or drive past him. If I have a smaller guy, I'm going to post him up."
If there is any question about Williams being a small forward at the next level, it would be his ability to break down defenders off the bounce and his quickness as a perimeter defender against true NBA threes. But when he is playing power forward, Williams has the quickness to blow by bigger defenders with a power dribble and finish with his explosiveness at the rim. He also possesses the length to be a defensive presence as demonstrated by his amazing game-saving blocked shots against Washington in the regular season and versus Memphis in the NCAA Tournament.
People have been throwing out all sorts of NBA player comparisons when it comes to Williams. Some say he is a David West-type player, Michael Beasley, a more physical Danny Granger, or Tyrus Thomas. Legendary Arizona head coach Lute Olsen compared Williams to former Wildcat Andre Iguodala with a jump shot.
"I like that comparison," Williams said. "Lute Olson is a really smart man and he's seen a lot of great players. To have my name up there with his is a great honor."
The greatest honor of Williams' basketball career will come Thursday evening when David Stern calls his name. The former Arizona Wildcat is considering one of the very few "sure things" in the 2011 NBA Draft. If his game can continue to grow leaps and bounds like it has the past two seasons, and he finds his true position in the NBA, there is no question that Williams will have a very long, successful career in the league.
Recent NBA Draft and Offseason Blog Entries:
2012 NBA Draft Outstanding Trades - 12/25
2011 NBA Offseason Winners - 12/23
2011 NBA Offseason Losers - 12/23
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/22
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/20
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/16
Chris Paul Trade Analysis - 12/15
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/14
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/10
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/9
Five Players Likely to Be Traded After NBA Lockout - 7/7
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Southwest Division - 7/6
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Northwest Division - 7/5
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Pacific Division - 7/3
Cavaliers-Kings Trade Recap - 7/1
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Atlantic Division - 6/30
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Central Division - 6/30
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Southeast Division - 6/29
2011 NBA Draft Trade Recaps - 6/25
2011 NBA Draft: Bobcats-Kings-Bucks Three-Way Trade - 6/24
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: How Kyrie Irving Compares to John Wall and Derrick Rose - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Kyrie Irving Ready to be a Franchise Point Guard - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kemba Walker is the Most Undervalued Player in the Draft - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Derrick Williams a Power Forward or Small Forward? - 6/22
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Wait, Kansas' Marcus and Markieff Morris are Twins??? - 6/21
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Jordan Hamilton Using Yoga to Help His NBA Draft Stock - 6/18
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Tristan Thompson Benefits from Weak Draft Class - 6/17
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kawhi Leonard's Versatility is His Biggest Asset - 6/14
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Chris Singleton is a Lottery Sleeper - 6/13
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Where Does JaJuan Johnson Fit in the NBA? - 6/11
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kentucky's DeAndre Liggins Made Right Decision in Entering NBA Draft - 6/10
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Should a Marijuana Arrest Affect NBA Draft Stock? - 6/9
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Nolan Smith Has Different Identity On and Off Court - 6/7
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: John Wall Mentoring Darius Morris - 6/5
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Brandon Knight Worth Third Overall Pick? - 6/2
Rumor: Cavs, T-Wolves, Pistons Discussing 3-Way Trade - 5/29
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Josh Selby Putting Kansas Behind Him - 5/28
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Marshon Brooks Rising Up Draft Boards - 5/26
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Alec Burks Connected to Bobcats - 5/24
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Combine Measurements - 5/21
Thunder Really Likes Kyle Singler? - 5/21
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Day 1 - 5/20
2011 NBA Draft Lottery Odds Breakdown - 5/16
2011 NBA Free Agents - 5/3
NBA Offseason and Draft Blog - Home
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
2014 NBA Mock Draft - April 25
2013 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings: C | PF | COMBO-F | SF | COMBO-G | SG | PG
2011 NBA Mock Draft - June 23
2011 NBA Mock Draft - Walt's (June 21)
2011 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2010 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2009 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2011 NBA Draft Scouting Reports
2010-11 NBA Season Previews
2009 NBA Draft Grades
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 20
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 15
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
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Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Derrick Williams a Power Forward or Small Forward? - June 22
Other than Marquette and Wisconsin, I have watched more Arizona Wildcat games in the past two seasons than any other team. (And remember, I have watched more than 900 college basketball games in the past three years.) Seeing Derrick Williams' meteoric rise on NBA Draft boards during that time has been rather remarkable. And now, barring a crazy trade or some dumb David Kahn decision, Williams will be one of the top two picks in Thursday's 2011 NBA Draft.
Williams was not a five-star recruit when he first arrived at Arizona. In fact, he barely cracked the top 100 by some of the major recruiting Web sites out there. He only ended up at Arizona after getting out of his national letter of intent at USC when Tim Floyd resigned in the wake of the O.J. Mayo scandal.
But Williams made his impact on the college game right away, leading Arizona in scoring and rebounding as a freshman. He took his game to a whole new level this past season though, earning First Team All-American honors and nearly carrying the Wildcats to the Final Four. As his success built and Arizona continued to rack up wins, Williams' NBA Draft stock began to soar.
"It's pretty crazy, kind of like a movie coming out of nowhere," Williams said at the NBA Draft Combine. "A lot of people knew my potential, I just didn't get to show it because we weren't winning all that much. Going from 16-15 to 30-7 at Arizona brought the best out of me as a individual."
The 6-9, 248-pounder saw his exposure peak in the Sweet 16 when he was absolutely beastly in the Wildcats' 16-point upset victory against No. 1 seed, Duke. Williams posted 32 points and 13 rebounds while making 11 of his 17 field goal attempts, including 5-of-6 from downtown.
"I think before that game people had me at 10-15," Williams said of his draft range prior to the Sweet 16. "Winning the Duke game, the whole tradition, how good they are, put me over the hump to a top five, top three."
The biggest development in Williams' game this past season was his improved outside shooting. He connected on a shocking 56.8 percent of his triple tries in his sophomore season and showed growing confidence from beyond the arc as the year progressed, especially since he only attempted 16 three-pointers as a freshman. He also played a good portion of the season with a taped right pinky on his shooting hand which had no negative effect on his improvement. Add that improved outside shot with this strength, length, and quickness on the block, and athleticism in the open floor, and Williams has an incredibly well-rounded offensive game.
Through the entire draft process though, Williams has been adamant about the fact that he is naturally a small forward and NOT a power forward. Considering he primarily played either the four or five during his two years at Arizona, that thought raised some eyebrows and caught some criticism during the past month.
"I'm not a power forward, I want to clear that up," Williams stated. "I'm a small forward who can play the four. There's a big difference between power forward and small forward and tweener. If I have a mismatch, I'm going to do things like I did this year. If I have a slower guy I'm going to take him outside, or drive past him. If I have a smaller guy, I'm going to post him up."
If there is any question about Williams being a small forward at the next level, it would be his ability to break down defenders off the bounce and his quickness as a perimeter defender against true NBA threes. But when he is playing power forward, Williams has the quickness to blow by bigger defenders with a power dribble and finish with his explosiveness at the rim. He also possesses the length to be a defensive presence as demonstrated by his amazing game-saving blocked shots against Washington in the regular season and versus Memphis in the NCAA Tournament.
People have been throwing out all sorts of NBA player comparisons when it comes to Williams. Some say he is a David West-type player, Michael Beasley, a more physical Danny Granger, or Tyrus Thomas. Legendary Arizona head coach Lute Olsen compared Williams to former Wildcat Andre Iguodala with a jump shot.
"I like that comparison," Williams said. "Lute Olson is a really smart man and he's seen a lot of great players. To have my name up there with his is a great honor."
The greatest honor of Williams' basketball career will come Thursday evening when David Stern calls his name. The former Arizona Wildcat is considering one of the very few "sure things" in the 2011 NBA Draft. If his game can continue to grow leaps and bounds like it has the past two seasons, and he finds his true position in the NBA, there is no question that Williams will have a very long, successful career in the league.
Recent NBA Draft and Offseason Blog Entries:
2012 NBA Draft Outstanding Trades - 12/25
2011 NBA Offseason Winners - 12/23
2011 NBA Offseason Losers - 12/23
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/22
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/20
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/16
Chris Paul Trade Analysis - 12/15
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/14
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/10
2011 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis - 12/9
Five Players Likely to Be Traded After NBA Lockout - 7/7
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Southwest Division - 7/6
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Northwest Division - 7/5
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Pacific Division - 7/3
Cavaliers-Kings Trade Recap - 7/1
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Atlantic Division - 6/30
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Central Division - 6/30
2011 NBA Free Agency: Allan Houston Rule - Southeast Division - 6/29
2011 NBA Draft Trade Recaps - 6/25
2011 NBA Draft: Bobcats-Kings-Bucks Three-Way Trade - 6/24
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: How Kyrie Irving Compares to John Wall and Derrick Rose - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Kyrie Irving Ready to be a Franchise Point Guard - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kemba Walker is the Most Undervalued Player in the Draft - 6/23
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Is Derrick Williams a Power Forward or Small Forward? - 6/22
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Wait, Kansas' Marcus and Markieff Morris are Twins??? - 6/21
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Jordan Hamilton Using Yoga to Help His NBA Draft Stock - 6/18
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Tristan Thompson Benefits from Weak Draft Class - 6/17
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kawhi Leonard's Versatility is His Biggest Asset - 6/14
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Chris Singleton is a Lottery Sleeper - 6/13
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Where Does JaJuan Johnson Fit in the NBA? - 6/11
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Kentucky's DeAndre Liggins Made Right Decision in Entering NBA Draft - 6/10
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Should a Marijuana Arrest Affect NBA Draft Stock? - 6/9
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Nolan Smith Has Different Identity On and Off Court - 6/7
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: John Wall Mentoring Darius Morris - 6/5
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Brandon Knight Worth Third Overall Pick? - 6/2
Rumor: Cavs, T-Wolves, Pistons Discussing 3-Way Trade - 5/29
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Josh Selby Putting Kansas Behind Him - 5/28
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Marshon Brooks Rising Up Draft Boards - 5/26
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Alec Burks Connected to Bobcats - 5/24
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Combine Measurements - 5/21
Thunder Really Likes Kyle Singler? - 5/21
2011 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Day 1 - 5/20
2011 NBA Draft Lottery Odds Breakdown - 5/16
2011 NBA Free Agents - 5/3
NBA Offseason and Draft Blog - Home
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Da Gong Show
05-20-2013
11:28 am
xxx.xxx.xxx.193
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The Minnewaukee Timberbucks?
03-10-2013
02:20 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.43
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03-10-2013
02:20 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.43
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03-10-2013
02:20 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.43
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03-10-2013
02:19 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.43
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v1iibv6dj
jle78ha9a
03-10-2013
02:19 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.43
(total posts: 5)
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03-10-2013
02:19 am
xxx.xxx.xxx9.40
(total posts: 1)
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drose is a cap killer
02-14-2013
11:09 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.117
(total posts: 1)
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post draft winners/losers should be switched
Reno
10-09-2012
06:21 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx2.12
(total posts: 2)
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Reading this makes my decisions easier than tkanig candy from a baby.
Ralph
09-10-2012
02:48 am
xxx.xxx.xxx.154
(total posts: 1)
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Awsome submit and sthagirt to the level. I really do not know if this is certainly essentially the most beneficial put to question but do you men have any ideea in which to employ some specialized writers? Thanks
Ronnie
09-10-2012
02:08 am
xxx.xxx.xxx.138
(total posts: 1)
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Come on, get it done!I have not watched the NBA since they left Vancouver. If they would be back, I would be back too.Miss going to the games a lot. NBA games were a lot more fan frieldny then the Canucks games but I would support both(and the Lions in summer/fall).
Claudia
09-10-2012
01:32 am
xxx.xxx.xxx.235
(total posts: 1)
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Above and Beyond! My only regret is not kninowg you at Jacksons birth. Its been an incredible journey for my son's first year and I cant thank you enough for all of our photo sessions, all of your mom to mom advice, our girlfriend to girlfriend chats, play dates with the babies and just the love and positive energy you give off. Thank you Stace for being YOU! <3And many thanks to my girl Dany had it not been for her we wouldnt be viewing or reading any of this
Mustafa
09-08-2012
05:32 am
xxx.xxx.xxx4.81
(total posts: 1)
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I have watched a few Hoya games the last few years, and have seen Summers play a bit. When wahcnitg him, he looked like he was on an NBA level. He is a poised defender and has a great post up game. I have also seen him get a lot of praise from announcers about his NBA readiness. He should go now, so there is no chance he can ruin it, for example if he got injured next year if he stayed, he would get drafted a lot later.
Lisa
09-07-2012
07:13 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx2.12
(total posts: 2)
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Why does this have to be the ONLY rleialbe source? Oh well, gj!
Ebru
09-07-2012
05:19 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx1.28
(total posts: 1)
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I think that this is how it should be done. If you rellay believe you are a great player out of high school then go to the NBA, but if you go to college you have to stay for at least two years. Colleges spend tons of money on recruiting and then there players are one and done.
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2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
2014 NBA Mock Draft - April 25
2013 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings: C | PF | COMBO-F | SF | COMBO-G | SG | PG
2011 NBA Mock Draft - June 23
2011 NBA Mock Draft - Walt's (June 21)
2011 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2010 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2009 NBA Mock Re-Draft
2011 NBA Draft Scouting Reports
2010-11 NBA Season Previews
2009 NBA Draft Grades
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 20
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 15
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
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