NBA Draft 2011 Lands Jordan Williams With the Denver Nuggets at Pick No. 22
Sophomore forward Jordan Williams announced earlier this month that he intends to test the waters of the NBA draft..but has yet to hire an agent so he can still back out.
Williams is a relentless worker in the post that results in lots of easy second-chance buckets. He is deadly from within 10 feet and has a full arsenal of moves with his back to the basket.
ESPN’s draft expert Chad Ford goes over the list of qualities that Williams possess:
Strong, physical post presence, muscles his way to the basket, has a soft touch around the basket, excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor.
Williams averaged almost 12 rebounds a game because of great anticipation around the basket and top notch strength.
The question surrounding Williams is his size…a 6-10, 250-pound frame is not ideal for a center. Conditioning can be a problem and he needs to develop an outside game beyond 15 feet.
Good Fit or Bad Fit?
This is a great fit for the Nuggets.
Kenyon Martin and Nene are both free agents and it’s doubtful that both of them will return next season. Because of the ‘Melo trade, the Nuggets have a ton of depth at guard and don’t need anymore through the draft.
Williams’ rebounding ability and toughness inside are very attractive attributes to Denver. He will have to improve his conditioning though to handle the Mile High City.
Chances of NBA Success: 60%
While only a sophomore, he did show a sense of maturity for the better part of his two years at College Park. He is mentally ready for the NBA more than most guys his age.
The talent he holds offensively in the post are deserving of a top-25 pick by itself. But his ability to alter shots and hold his own against bigger defenders in the post make him a fairly safe bet at No. 22