This year’s NBA draft has Patrick Williams as one of its most intriguing players. A possible lottery pick, the 19-year-old combo forward out of Florida State University has drawn scouts’ eyes owing to his athleticism and moldable game.

He is a capable scorer with good shooting, enormous defensive potential, and a higher athletic floor than most of his contemporaries in this year’s class.

His Head Coach Leonard Hamilton praised him and presented a case for why he should be drafted high. “Patrick probably is the youngest player in the draft, he’s one of the youngest in the draft. He turned 18 in October-November into his freshmen year.

“Patrick has an NBA body, no doubt he has NBA athleticism. He has poise and maturity beyond his years. He’s a youngster who’s really, really focused on becoming the best basketball player that he can become.”

He added, “I think he’s gonna scratch the surface of not only his potential but also of his experience. He’s a younger guy who’s coming into his own, but he has all the attributes that I think is gonna allow him to excel in the process.

“He has an NBA body, he has great hands, he’s extremely confident, he’s a sponge, and he’s extremely coachable.”

NBA Draft: The next Kawhi Leonard?

While that may be a lofty expectation, he does have a similar frame to Kawhi Leonard. While he doesn’t have ginormous hands, he does fit the athletic profile.

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At the same time, Kawhi entered the draft relatively unheralded, going at the end of the lottery. A similar fate may come Williams’ way if he progresses like Kawhi.

He fulfills a lot of requirements on the grittier defensive side of the ball. While his talent is not at par with his athleticism, some careful development could unleash his potential.

He is an aggressive rim finisher and offensive rebounder. His upside may be too tantalizing for some teams to pass up on.

Considering how Williams is also relatively positionless across the front-line, the 6’7 forward has the potential to become a highly valuable player in the NBA.

College Stats: 9.2 points, 4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal.