Feel that there won’t be much to do for NBA fans after the ongoing Finals are over? Well then, you are certainly forgetting about the upcoming draft. As the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers continue clashing for the Larry O’Brien trophy, young basketball stars are currently going through training camps to show prospective teams what they have to offer. After all, while speculations of the Dallas Mavericks drafting Cooper Flagg first overall are on, many other players aren’t even in the rumor mill. Three of them, however, are now expected to be, as they might get the chance to show whether they deserve to be on Stephen Curry’s team.

According to NBA reporter Dalton Johnson, the Golden State Warriors are set to host three players tomorrow as part of a pre-draft workout. The three lucky picks are Caleb Grill, Amari Williams, and Brice Williams. Grill earlier served as a Guard for the Missouri Tigers, A. Williams was a Center for the Kentucky Wildcats, while B. Williams was a Guard for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Now, the Warriors have these three players on their radar as they search for the edge that could help them improve after their first-round playoff exit.

All 3 players carry an abundance of experience. Caleb Grill played for a whopping 6 seasons, alternating his time between the Iowa State Cyclones, the UNLV Rebels, and the Missouri Tigers. Throughout 154 games, he started in 58 of them, and averaged 8.1 points through 2.6-6.5 (40.7%) field goals, 1.8-5.0 (35.2%) 3-pointers, and 1.0-1.3 (77.5%) free throws. Additionally, he also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

Unlike Grill, the two Williams only had 5 years of experience in NCAA basketball. Amari Williams had decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020–2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the NCAA transfer portal. After 4 years with the Drexel Dragons, the British player transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats for his final collegiate season. He started in all 36 games with the Wildcats, and averaged 10.9 points through 3.8-7.2 (52.9%) field goals, 0.1-0.2 (30.0%) 3-pointers, and 2.8-4.4 (62.8%) free throws.

On top of that, he also averaged 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Amari Williams’ contributions allowed the Kentucky Wildcats to reach the ‘Sweet 16’ stage of the recent March Madness tournament, only to later be eliminated by the Tennessee Volunteers.

Meanwhile, Brice Williams played for 3 seasons with the Charlotte 49ers, and the other 2 with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Out of 157 games, he started in 96, and averaged 12.5 points, along with 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists, through 4.1-8.9 (46.3%) field goals, 1.4-3.6 (38.5%) 3-pointers, and 2.9-3.4 (84.0%) free throws.

The Golden State Warriors have the 41st pick in the NBA Draft this year. As part of the trade deal with the Brooklyn Nets back in December 2024, the team acquired a 2025 MIA-protected second-round pick along with Dennis Schröder. Given their stats, any 3 of them could be the Bay Area franchise’s draft pick. The Golden State Warriors drafted six players in the last three years; five of them previously played college ball, and one (Quinten Post) played for five years. Therefore, this would certainly be an out-of-the-box pick, whoever it ends up being. However, Amari Williams’ association with the Kentucky Wildcats might give him some brownie points.

Back in May, ESPN had predicted the Warriors to pick Yang Hansen. A 19-year-old who last played for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). However, new reports reveal that the player has now climbed up the board after the recent NBA Draft Combine. Despite that, SI reporter Logan Struck speculated that Yang is likely to go to the Sacramento Kings! They have the 42nd pick. In light of that, the Warriors might have shifted their focus to older and more experienced players.

The pre-draft workouts offer a great chance for the team to experiment with different players. These 3 picks weren’t the first ones tested out in recent days, and they won’t be the last. However, no reports are currently favoring them as the pick. They seem to have united in favor of one candidate who had his pre-draft workout only a few days ago.

Will the Warriors pick Sion James?

When looking to make a big splash, even with a 2nd round draft pick, why not get someone from Duke? Duke has a strong fan base. And their star player from the recent season should be the NBA’s first overall draft pick. Several people seemed to have aligned with this thought and are now rallying around 22-year-old Sion James.

James was part of the second batch of pre-draft workouts that took place only a few days ago. Other prospects tested alongside him included Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga) and CJ Huntley (App State).

Duke’s three freshmen, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach, are all expected to be top-10 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Sion James, however, wasn’t a freshman. He, too, had played in over 5 collegiate seasons. Out of those, he played the first 4 with the Tulane Green Wave. Throughout 153 games, James averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.

You may ask why the Warriors are considering him as a potential draft pick. Well, maybe because, at 6-foot-6 and weighing 220 pounds, Sion James provides the physicality and dexterity needed to be a defensive menace. So does his 6’6 ½” wingspan. Along with defense, he is quite useful on the offensive front, too. After all, he reportedly made 41% of his three-pointers and 81% of his free throws last season. This was up from the 28% and 65% he recorded as a freshman. Duke also utilized Sion James as a point-of-attack defender. This is certainly something the Warriors can use in their backcourt.

Sion James himself is certainly excited to one day be a part of the Warriors. During an interview with ‘NBC Sports Bay Area’, he highlighted himself being an instant fit by stating, “I’d be awesome. I’d love to. It’s really cool watching how everything works out. I think it’d be a great fit. And as the process continues to go and I continue working on my game, we’ll see how it all plays out.”

Anything can happen with Draft Day being 4 weeks out. Despite that, Bay Area fans will certainly have their eyes peeled on the prospects. After all, they are the future of the Warriors in a post-Stephen Curry NBA world.