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Troy Williams Updated NBA Draft Scouting Report

Troy Williams Updated NBA Draft Scouting Report
Jun 01, 2016, 12:54 pm
Troy Williams, 6'7, Junior, Small Forward, Indiana
Josh Riddell

Troy Williams has struggled to meet the high expectations placed on him coming into Indiana as a top 30 recruit in the class of 2013 based on the RSCI. Although he has improved his offensive production throughout his career, culminating in averaging 20.3 points and 8.9 assists per 40 minutes as a junior on a 59.6% true shooting percentage, Williams has struggled to put it all together consistently and has left many NBA scouts with questions about his NBA fit and role.

An incredible athlete with great open court speed and a high level of explosiveness, Williams is still developing his on-court skill to match his physical ability. He has good size for a wing at 6'7” but doesn't have a long wingspan at just 6'8. His frame has improved and is up to a strong 218 pounds which he will need to use to his advantage with his relative lack of length.

Williams is most efficient scoring off shots created for him by his teammates either in transition or off cuts from the three-point line. He has an extra gear attacking paint and can finish well at the rim at a mark of 59.2% according to Synergy Sports Technology. Over 52% of his field goal attempts came at the rim according to Synergy with Williams still struggling with his confidence and consistency from the perimeter.

Even though he was a more willing shooter this year, Williams still isn't an overly reliable threat from beyond the arc. He attempted a small sample of only 75 three point attempts converting 34.7% last season. His mechanics are inconsistent, as he often shoots off balance shots and has a noticeable hitch at the top of his release that limits his accuracy. It's becoming harder and harder for small forwards to earn minutes in the NBA without being a spot-up threat so it's very likely Williams will have to improve his shooting ability to break into a rotation at the next level.

One of his biggest areas for improvement is his decision making and feel for the game with the ball. He turns the ball over 4.1 times per 40 minutes, second most among small forwards in our top 100, often times being too careless with the ball by driving right into the heart of the defense or putting his head down on penetration causing him to lose sight of the floor. His shot selection can be wild as well at times with Williams forcing up contested midrange twos instead of letting the play develop or getting himself into a position where he has to attempt a wild shot at the rim against a shot blocker.

The Hoosiers did try to develop him as a shot creator out of the pick and rolls but he struggled to make the proper decisions and reads to be an efficient ball screen player. He has shown some passing skills coming off screens with an overall mark of 3.1 assists per 40. He won't make many complicated reads but can make the simple pass to the open man closest to him when he keeps his head up and sees the whole floor.
He doesn't yet have the ability to beat his defender in dribble penetration situations either and it doesn't appear that NBA teams will be able to rely on him as an offensive creator, at least at the start of his career. Williams has shown flashes of ball skills but will need to make some big leaps to be able to be efficient against NBA defenders. If Williams wants to be able to contribute offensively he will need to use his athleticism to get easy points in transition, make well-timed cuts to the rim and develop an outside shot. From there, he can try to become a better shot creator to complete his offensive profile and become a bigger weapon.

Given his limitations offensively at this stage, Williams will need to focus on providing defensive value. He lacks the elite length of some other small forwards but he has the height, strength, agility and lateral quickness to be able to guard the perimeter and switch screening actions. He needs to be fully locked in at all times as he can currently be a little inconsistent on that end, getting beat off the dribble or losing his man too often off the ball. He has all the tools needed to be a defensive stopper but he needs the mental makeup and consistent effort to be able to take on the toughest defensive challenges.

Williams can also contribute by attacking the glass to help rebound with his explosiveness and ability to chase down loose balls. His 8.9 total rebounds per 40 ranked fifth most among small forwards in our top 100. He crashes hard from the perimeter and is often the first to the missed shot which can help his team control the rebounding game.

Looking the part of a NBA wing, the 21-year-old Williams has to complete his offensive repertoire by adding a perimeter shot while improving his defensive consistency to round out his overall skill set. Even if he doesn't get drafted, he will definitely get his chance to make a roster through summer league and training camps and NBA teams will certainly be keeping an eye on him throughout the beginning of his career to see if he takes the necessary steps to improve key points of his game.

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