Cody Williams Coming Into Focus as a Potential Spurs Lottery Pick
Cody Williams has emerged as a potential lottery pick by the Spurs (Photo via Twitter)
On my initial Spurs Big Board, I had Cody Williams at No. 4. But after a lackluster showing at the combine, I dropped him all the way down to No. 11. However, Williams is now quietly gaining momentum. From what I’ve heard, he’s had impressive workouts and teams — including the Spurs — are intrigued the more they watch him play and interact with him.
A scout for a team in the Eastern Conference told me that he thinks Williams is one of the favorites to be drafted fourth overall by the Spurs.
“The general thought is if you want to make sure you can get [Williams], you need to trade into the top three because San Antonio is a real threat at four,” he explained.
The Case For the Spurs Drafting Cody Williams
Williams dealt with four different injuries as a freshman but was outstanding in his first 17 games with Colorado. He averaged 14.2 points and shot 62.7% from two-point range and 47.1% from three-point territory. During that stretch, he was getting talked about as the possible No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
A late bloomer, Williams really came on during his senior year at high school. He now stands 6-foot-8-in-shoes with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. The most exciting thing about him is his combination of length and his feel for the game out on the perimeter. That combo alone makes him a lottery pick in this draft.
Williams is blessed with an amazing amount of functional length. Even when he is stretching out as far as possible, his touch is impeccable. Williams is a great finisher and plays even longer than his 7-foot-1 wingspan suggests.
While his handle can get tighter, the teenager is already comfortable dribbling out on the perimeter and in transition. That area of his game looks like it’ll get even better as he continues to work on tightening his handle.
Defensively, his fundamentals need some work but he seems to have all the requisite tools once he adds more strength. He’s light on his feet, he reads plays well and reacts with quickness. His functional length is also apparent on the defensive end, as he can routinely devour smaller players who try to go right at him.
Character-wise, Williams gets very strong grades. By all accounts he’s a quality kid who is willing to be coached and strives to improve every day. Williams comes from a good family and he’s regarded as a good teammate.
Speaking of his family, his brother Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder started off slow as a freshman in college but has steadily improved to the point that he’s now a star in the NBA. Comparing their freshman seasons, Cody was much better. If his developmental curve is similar at all, Cody would unquestionably become one of the better players from this draft.
The Case Against the Spurs Drafting Cody Williams
While Williams was very good in his first 17 games of the season, he did very little the rest of the way. He was an afterthought on his own team by the end of the campaign.
(To be fair, though, Colorado had a team stacked with talent. Two other players on that team will be drafted this year and they also had productive seniors. Colorado could win games without Williams forcing the issue as he battled through injuries.)
Some scouts question Williams’ toughness. The docile way his freshman season ended is only one reason some say he may be too soft to thrive in the NBA. His rebounding rate was exceptionally poor for his size (it was the worst rate on his entire team, in fact). Williams was also pushed around a lot for someone who plans to play basketball for a living.
(Another note: Although Williams was a terrible rebounder at Colorado, his team was strong on the boards as a group. Thus, it’s unclear how much his anemic rebounding rate should count against him.)
A related issue is the fact that Williams weighed only 178 pounds at the combine. He clearly needs to get a lot stronger in order to have a successful NBA career. Will Williams’ perceived lack of toughness be a thing of the past once he adds weight? That’s the hope — but obviously it’s not guaranteed.
Offensively, even though Williams finished the season with a 41.5% three-point percentage, that doesn’t tell the whole story. He didn’t shoot many threes (1.7 per game) and his mechanics are questionable. He has a two-handed shot, which typically doesn’t translate well to the NBA. He’ll need to work on his mechanics if he wants to be a knock-down three-point shooter as a professional.
Passing is more of a weakness than a strength at this point. He’s tall, he can dribble and he’s a smart player — so it’s a bit strange that he doesn’t pass the ball better.
Defensively, Williams could eventually be helpful but it’ll likely be a weakness early in his career.
Analytical models weren’t impressed with how Williams played as a freshman. Most models I’ve seen have him rated as a second round pick.
(Final note: Analytical models were even lower on his brother. Jalen graded out as undraftable after all three of his college seasons.)
Cody Williams’ Fit on the Spurs
Williams’ fit should be relatively seamless. The Spurs could really use a tall, lanky, perimeter-oriented wing who can defend, shoot and play smart basketball. Williams might need time in the G League to put all the pieces together but he’s definitely an intriguing prospect.
By year two, he could be a fixture in San Antonio’s starting lineup between Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan.
Final Thoughts on the Spurs Drafting Cody Williams
There’s a lot to consider when pondering Williams’ value in this draft but I think he’s a worthwhile risk. I wouldn’t even mind the Spurs drafting him at No. 4 if they really believe in his long-term development.
Williams has the frame, the intangibles and the instincts to develop into a big, multi-purpose wing … and that’s one of the most valuable player-types in basketball.