NBA Future Watch: Mark Williams Basketball Cards, Draft Prospect – Mark Williams spent his sophomore season in the shadow of Duke teammates Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin. Both are very likely to go at the top of the 2022 NBA Draft. But in the crucible of March, Williams has stepped up his game to become a legitimate lottery prospect with his classic skills in the pivot.
The younger brother of WNBA player Elizabeth Williams, the youngster was on the recruiting radar all throughout high school due to his growth spurt. At Norfolk Academy, Williams helped his team to reach the state championship game as a junior, before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida. There he earned McDonald’s All-American status. Williams was also a fixture on the all-star circuit, with the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and the Jordan Brand Classic. A Rivals and 247Sports five-star recruit, Williams chose Duke. Perceiving his game as being like Wendell Carter Jr., he believed that it could be developed to its utmost there.
In the always-deep Blue Devil rotation, Williams was brought along slowly as a freshman, making 11 of his 15 starts at the end of the season. The signature game for the big man came against Louisville in the ACC Tournament with 23 points and 19 rebounds. That is a record for boards by a freshman in the tourney.
This performance set the stage for greater expectations in Year Two for Williams. He was named to the preseason watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the John Wooden Award. Those expectations started to be met early on, as Williams poured in 17 points, nine rebounds and six blocks against Gonzaga on November 26, 2021. Of the many double-doubles that followed, none was more spectacular than the 28-12 effort against Syracuse on February 26. The NCAA Tournament games have further bolstered the resume. He had 15 points and five blocks against Michigan, 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against Texas Tech and 12 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks against Arkansas.
Due in part to Banchero’s ability to play center, Williams has still been limited to 23.8 MPG this season, necessitating a look at the Per 40 Minutes totals to recognize his true impact. By those metrics, Williams has truly shined: 19.0 PPG, 12.6 RPG and 4.9 BPG. He posted an absurd .719 FG%, but only one three-point attempt all year. This puts a light on the most necessary area of improvement. Fortunately, a .747 FT% indicates potential for improvement further from the rim. An expanded shooting range combined with elite defensive and low-post scoring will mark him as one of the most dominant centers in the NBA.
NBA Future Watch: Mark Williams Basketball Cards, Draft Prospect – Stats
NBA Future Watch: Mark Williams Basketball Cards, Draft Prospect – More Resources
- Secondary Market Pricing
- ESPN.com Player Profile
- Mark Williams – on Twitter
- Mark Williams – on Instagram
NBA Future Watch: Mark Williams Basketball Cards, Draft Prospect
- Racing Future Watch: Logan Sargeant F1 Cards, Williams - April 27, 2024
- Soccer Future Watch: Sadio Mané Soccer Cards, Al Nassr - April 24, 2024
- NBA Future Watch: Andre Jackson Jr. Basketball Cards, Milwaukee Bucks - April 22, 2024