MarShon Brooks has garned most of the headlines coming out of the NBA Draft, but Jordan Williams is not a player to forget in the proceedings.
The Maryland power forward left school after his sophomore year and slid to the Nets' second-round pick at No. 36. Leaving school early probably wasn't the best decision for Williams in the short term, but the Nets made the best of his early declaration.
In Williams, the Nets get a safe selection built in the mold of Kris Humphries. He won't wow anyone with his low post moves or long range, but he provides hustle and energy off the bench.
Williams' main knock is his lack of conditioning, which has improved greatly over the course of his final NCAA season. He plays hard but doesn't boast a great motor.
Luckily for the Nets, they didn't need a starting power forward in the second round. Whether Billy King chooses to go with Humphries or explore free agent David West, Williams is nothing more than a role player.
Humphries is the best NBA comparison for Williams. He's a strong, burly power forward that attacks the glass, but has limited offensive talent. In Humphries' defense, he became a much more efficient offensive option in year two with the Nets as opposed to his first year under Kiki Vandeweghe.
Johnson only needs Williams to give him eight to 10 quality minutes a night. Williams can make an impact in minor minutes as a rookie.
NBA scouts have likened Williams to two players at opposite ends of the spectrum. With discipline and training, Williams projects to Carlos Boozer. If he eats his way out of the league, a la the low end, he could be Sean May.
Williams has no doubts, though.
"I know my game will be able to transfer to the NBA because I know one thing you can't really teach is rebounding," Williams said Monday. "I think I'll be able to do that consistently throughout my entire career."
Either way, Williams was too enticing to pass up in the second round. Although "potential" is a dreaded word around sports, Williams' potential is his biggest asset.
He transformed himself as a college player from his freshman to sophomore years.
His jump:
2009-10 24.8 minutes, 9.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, one block per game
2010-11 32.5 minutes, 16.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.4 blocks per game
Based on his maturation, King was wise to gamble on a player that is far from his ceiling.
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