Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
(Colorado State: Wing, freshman, 6-8)
Previous rank: 10 (+5) / Best rank: 3 / Worst rank: 17
Colorado's cody williams In the first collective mock draft in September, he has steadily increased his ranking from just outside the lottery to a possibility of being removed from the roster within the first five picks of the draft.
“I have cody williams Towards the top of my board,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “He's shown some two-way potential and is running the ball well this year. He has the pedigree with his older brother Jalen, who's already in the NBA, so he knows what it takes. He's pretty I think he's an easy guy to project to. He just needs to get stronger and that's through maturity. He looks like he has a pretty promising future.”
The Pac-12 All-Freshman Team member was named 1 because of the size of his position, his long-term upward trend as a two-way player, his consistency as he played this season, and his overall uncertainty at the top. As a candidate for the No. 1 pick, he is a sleeper. According to several NBA executives and scouts who spoke with HoopsHype, this is how the draft went.
“Williams is the most solid player of all the players,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “He's got length, he's big, he can shoot, he can pass. Out of all of these guys, I'd take him first.”
With Williams' stock seemingly solidified higher up in the lottery, some NBA talent evaluators believe it could take up to two seasons for him to make a big impact before filling a spot in the weight room. Some people think there is. Cody has a lankier frame than his younger brother Jalen, but as the executive noted, that should improve over time in the weight room to compensate for his 6-foot-8 frame as a small forward. .
“His body type is a little scary to me,” another NBA executive told HoopsHype. “He doesn't have the physicality or frame of his older brother yet. But he can put on weight and make shots. He has a high IQ for the game. He can pass as well, He can drive closeouts, he can rebound, he does other things well. Defensively he can help and recover. He can also block shots.”
In a draft with little certainty, Williams' consistency should help him continue climbing the draft board ladder heading into June.
