2022 NBA Draft Profile: Jalen Williams
Breaking down Jalen Williams, the Draft Combine darling himself.
Welcome to The Hawks Collective newsletter! Atlanta had a disappointing yet promising season led by the continued stardom of Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu’s development as the center of the future, and plenty more. The NBA draft takes place on June 23, so we’ll be profiling several players who the Hawks may consider selecting with its No. 16 and No. 44 picks. Today’s subject: Jalen Williams of Santa Clara.
Measurements
Height: 6-6
Weight: 209 lbs
Wingspan: 7-2
Draft Age: 21.2 y/o
Statistical Profile
The Basics: 34.8 minutes, 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Efficiency: 55.1% on twos, 39.6% on threes, 80.9% on free throws
Advanced: 25.0% usage, 22.6% assist rate, 1.9% steal rate, 1.5% block rate
Misc: 25 dunks, 2.0 ast/tov, 97th percentile on C&S jumpers
The Intrigue
Strong decision-maker out of the pick-and-roll; can create looks for himself and others, in addition to handling ball pressure well (i.e. hedges, stunting at the nail, zipping cross-court passes).
A decisive driver that’s more tempo-based than speed; looks to keep a defender on his hips & utilize his length + size at the second level.
Fluid, compact shooter with soft touch; one-motion release. Scalable as a spot-up & pull-up threat from within the 3-point line.
Projectable team defender when scaling down to a connecting role in the NBA.
Areas of Improvement
Doesn’t easily create separation as an on-ball scorer.
His screen navigation on defense leaves little to be desired; struggles to flip his hips and get down into a defensive stance.
Team Fit
Should the Hawks draft him at 16? Maybe
The Hawks ranked in the bottom five in defensive rating and roughly league-average in assists per game, mainly due to Young’s ability to carry the playmaking load. So yeah, there’s a desperate need for athletes that can defend & pass on the perimeter. Jalen Williams easily fills one of those boxes, though his horizontal athleticism wouldn’t lift the Hawks’ defense to the level it needs to be to contend in the Eastern Conference.