With the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday, the Washington Wizards are finalizing their draft board by dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s. That process continued on Monday, just three days before the team makes the No. 15 and 44 overall picks, by hosting an individual pre-draft workout with Texas A&M big Robert Williams who was a fan of the one-on-one format.
“I feel like solo workout was just better,” Williams explained. “More hands-on, more explaining, more teaching you how to do it the right way. Rather than throwing you out there with six, seven guys, it’s just getting tired and getting through the workout.”
Williams averaged 11.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 25.7 minutes per game over his two seasons in College Station. The two-time SEC All-Defensive team member is an athletic center that John Wall voiced for during his exit interview with the media.
“Amazing,” Williams said about the thought of playing with Wall. “He’s an elite passer, an elite guard. Coming off of pick and roll, you have to pay attention to him as well as you have to pay attention to me so it’s a win-win situation.”
On the other hand, the 6-10 big does have some downfalls. The 20-year old is not a great shooter as he was 2-for-30 (6.7 percent) from deep in college and also just a 54.1 percent free throw shooter including 47.1 percent in his sophomore campaign. It would be understandable for the other parts of Williams’s offensive game to take some adjusting to as well.
“Just learning the spacing on the floor,” Williams stressed about adjusting to the NBA offense. “Playing with guards, what they expect of me and knowing how they play.”
Moreover, pundits question his motor as he does not play with the same energy throughout the course of a game. One would hope that at the NBA level, playing with the fullest level of effort and passion would not be a problem, but it is also something that plagued the Wizards last season. Ironically enough, that would make him a fit with the 2016-17 team, but he also sees himself meshing for the right reasons should he be selected by Washington.
“I feel like they could use a big like me – defensive stopper, athletic big,” Williams self-promoted. “I definitely see myself fitting in Washington.”
Another area where the Wizards struggled last season was with their defense, partially because of poor effort, but that is something that Williams could instantly sure up with his 7-6 wingspan as a rim protector and mobile big capable of switching onto quicker players.
“I feel like that suits me well,” Williams explained about modern-day small ball. “Definitely defensively because I feel like I can guard all positions. That’s one of my biggest attributes. … “I guarded all positions when I was younger. Guys that were way quicker than me. So, when I got to college, I just wanted to improve on that.”
Should Williams be available for Washington with the No. 15 pick, which is far from a guarantee, it may be hard for the Wizards to pass on what is certainly a position of need especially if he turns into a Clint Capela-type, which he is constantly compared to. Williams was complimentary of Capela as a player, but would rather not be compared to another NBA player as he tries to make a name for himself.
Reporter: Is there a NBA player that you think you can be similar to.
Robert Williams: Nah.
Reporter: Because a lot of people compare you to Clint Capela.
Williams: I knew that was what you were going to say.
*Laughs*Williams said he has heard the comparison 12-15 times.
— Neil Dalal (@NeilDalal96) June 18, 2018
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