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In the final pre-lottery mock draft from CBS Sports on Wednesday, Kyle Boone projected the New Orleans Pelicans to take a wing player from Florida State. Unlike a handful of previous mock drafts, though, it was not guard/forward Devin Vassell but instead forward Patrick Williams.
A far more raw prospect, Williams is a 6’8″ win player that didn’t have the production of others but has the always-valued potential.
Here’s Boone’s take on Williams with the Pelicans:
“As a freshman at Florida State last season, Patrick Williams’ numbers weren’t eye-popping — he was just a high-level role player who did a lot of things well without much fanfare. But scouts I’ve talked to rave about him and his NBA potential because of his size (6-8), wingspan (6-11) and defensive playmaking potential. Wings with his skill and feel don’t come around often. He’s a raw product offensively and there’s physical development that may be needed before he reaches his potential, but teams see in him a role player in the NBA like he was in college, and that’s a perfect fit in New Orleans with a star like Zion Williamson already in place.”
With the bevy of draft picks the Pelicans will have this season and in coming years, the team can afford to draft players on potential and look to swing big.
Last season, Williams averaged 9.2 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game in 22.5 minutes per game. He did only hit 32.0% of his 1.7 three-point attempts per game. Williams would fill a specific need for the Pelicans as a wing player that can help provide size and length to the team.
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