Williams got ‘great feel' from Warriors draft interview

Share

Now that the Warriors know where they will be picking in the 2021 NBA Draft, the real work begins.

Tuesday night's NBA Draft Lottery saw the Warriors land the No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the first round. Head coach Steve Kerr met the front office in Chicago for the NBA Scouting Combine where Golden State already has talked with a number of prospects, one of whom got a great vibe from his interview with the Warriors.

"I just got a great feel from them," Ziaire Williams told reporters Thursday. "That would be a cool spot to be at for sure."

The Stanford product had his interview with Kerr and the Warriors right before his media availability. He compared his game to Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges, and said he'd be "all in" on doing whatever the Warriors needed of him during his rookie season should Golden State draft him.

"I know right away I'm not going to have the biggest load on me, as far as coming off screens and ball-handling and all that," Williams said of his fit with the Warriors. "I know I'm developing to become that player, so my rookie year, I'm just going to take it one day at a time, just trust the coaching staff and I'm just going to be fully invested. I'm all in, so whatever they want me to do, I'm going to do all that and more."

Williams, 19, is coming off a season in which he averaged 10.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for Stanford while shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from the 3-point line.

The 6-foot-9 forward is a heady defender who uses his length and anticipation to disrupt passing lanes and provide help at the rim. Williams is a good ball-handler who shows promise as both a scorer and a playmaker. He will need to refine his jump shot, but his free throw percentage (79.6 percent) should make teams optimistic that he can improve as an offensive threat.

RELATED: Cavs' reported desire to trade No. 3 pick could lead Warriors to top prospect

Williams currently is projected to be drafted somewhere in the teens, which could make him a target for the Warriors at No. 14. However, the Warriors are looking for prospects who can provide immediate help on both sides of the floor right away, and Williams' limited offensive game doesn't seem to fit that desire.

The Warriors also have interviewed Scottie Barnes, Keon Johnson, Kai Jones and Trey Murphy.

The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on July 29.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Contact Us