This name may seem familiar to those who have been reading previous prospect watches, but I assure you this is a different player. The other Jaylin played in the SEC. This WCC star was named to All-WCC First Team this past season and it’s easy to see why.
The 6-foot-6, 209-pound wing had a nice season and seemingly did it all for Santa Clara. Williams had a great draft combine and that has catapulted him up mock draft boards. He measured well and played well in the scrimmages, giving a better glimpse of what he could do at the next level. For a taste of that, here are his stats from the past season.
- 18.0 PPG, 1.2 SPG, 4.2 APG, 4.4 RPG
- 51.3 FG%, 39.6 3P%, 80.9 FT%
- 22.8 PER, 118.2 ORtg, 102.6 DRtg
What might be most intriguing about Williams is his defensive potential. He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan (Jay Bilas enjoys this) and moves well to stay in front of some of the quicker players on the floor. He’s a solid rebounder at his size and plays one-on-one defense at a high level. He still has room to grow on defense, but he is not a complete project by any means.
There were times when Williams was asked to do everything for Santa Clara and yet, he still managed to be an incredibly efficient player. He didn’t go shot hunting too often and involved his teammates without giving up too many of his own shots, creating a perfect balance of playmaking and shot taking. He has a large variety of dribble moves and jab fakes he uses to get to his spots and his shots, so he should add some creativity on offense if the Spurs draft him.
He will likely need to add a little bit of strength to become a better finisher through contact near the rim. However, because of his length, he has been able to be an effective finisher around traffic using some quirky angles not available to his shorter-armed colleagues. He posted a 39-inch vertical jump and combined with his length, he is a major lob target as a wing player. He is probably the most well-rounded prospect among guards and wings. However, he has often been mocked in the late teens and 20s so there is a distinct possibility he could be a Spur with their second first round pick of the draft.
