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Renaissance Man Williams Ready for the NBA

by Ricky Henne, nyknicks.com


Posted Jun 19 2009, 4:00 p.m.

Jun 19 2009 4:13PM
  • Draft Central

    In the days leading up to the NBA Draft, NYKnicks.com will look at the top-rated players potentially available to teams with lottery picks in the 2009 NBA Draft. We offer these profiles for fans to familiarize themselves with some of the biggest names in the draft. A player's inclusion in this series of articles is based purely on his rankings in the scouting services and mainstream media and does not necessarily reflect the Knicks organization's preferences for the June 25 Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

    We continue our series with a profile of Louisville swingman Terrence Williams, a consensus first-round pick according to major scouting services and numerous publications.

  • Photo Gallery: Terrence Williams

    Perhaps no player in this year’s draft is as hard to peg as Louisville’s multi-talented swingman, Terrence Williams. A truly gifted athlete, he is projected to go anywhere from the Warriors at No. 7 to the Mavericks at No. 22 despite being the consensus top senior available.

    Extremely athletic and explosive, Williams is a renaissance man on the court able to do a little bit of everything. Blessed with an NBA body, he is versatile enough to not only play the two or three, but thrive at each position as well. Williams is also a fan favorite who is an exciting finisher, a strong defender and, perhaps most importantly, an excellent teammate who makes those around him better. He finished his collegiate career averaging 12.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals as a senior.

    A graduate of Rainer Beach High School, where he played alongside lifelong friend and current Knick Nate Robinson, Williams was the leader of Louisville’s perennial powerhouse program. He took charge of a talented Cardinals team during his four-year tenure, and was rewarded by leading his squad to a Big-East Championship this past season with a victory over Syracuse at Madison Square Garden by recording 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a career-best seven steals.

    Williams left his mark on the Louisville record books as well, becoming the only player in the school’s history to tally 1,500 points, 900 boards, 500 assists and 200 steals.

    Still, despite his enormous talent, there are question marks surrounding the 6-foot-6, 220-pounder. Some question his shooting ability for an off-guard, worried he doesn’t drain his jumpers with enough consistency. He is also a poor free throw shooter (58.9-percent) who sometimes tends to play out of control.

    While there is strong debate about where exactly Williams will be drafted, all agree that he is a bona fide pro who should be one of the few players to have an immediate impact his rookie year.

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