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We know we watched Admiral Schofield and Kyle Alexander play their last game at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday night. But could it also have been the final game for Grant Williams?
The junior forward seems to have shed some narratives about his size this season as he’s dominated just about anything that’s been put in front of him. His consistency and the development of an outside jumper have put him firmly on the NBA’s radar.
Today he went 23rd in the fresh NBA Mock Draft from SBNation.
23. Thunder - Grant Williams, F, Tennessee
Williams has established himself as one of the top players in the country for a Tennessee team fighting for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. He’s a physical 6’7, 240-pound forward with a sterling 65 percent true shooting percentage who has built an efficient two-way game by being a smart and competitive player. NBA teams will hope his perimeter jump shot (34 percent on 35 attempts) can continue to grow.
Williams’ 6-7 billing may even be generous. But his athletic ability allows him to rise up and play his game from the post. Size will be the obvious limitation for Williams in the NBA, but to his credit, he’s passed every test he’s faced to this point. On Saturday, you saw him take it to PJ Washington. You’ve seen him beat Daniel Gafford. There’s no telling who he’ll run into in the NCAA Tournament, but odds are, he’s going to pass that test too.
Another wrinkle in this process will be the fact that Williams will graduate in May. He could choose to head to the NBA after, or take a year of graduate school tuition.
His decision will define expectations for Tennessee basketball next season, but he’s got plenty to accomplish over the next month before he has to figure that out.