NY Knicks Draft: A scout and non-believer talk Ziaire Williams

NY Knicks: Is Ziaire Williams worth taking a chance on?

Read the full scouting report on Ziaire, and it’s hard not to be intrigued. Measured just under (with a wingspan just over) 6’10 in shoes; was a Top-6 recruit coming out of Sierra Canyon; and despite dealing with multiple deaths in his family and numerous other pandemic-related challenges this year, he still managed to flash really unique two-way potential.

As alluded to in the Jaden Springer piece, I can support the sort of high upside gamble that I might’ve cringed at in the past. I have that much faith in the Knicks’ front office and coaching staff. Especially if the draftee is a worker. Both Toppin and Quickley were reputed hard workers coming out of college, and if the goal is to overhaul culture, targeting guys like this is a great first step.

I don’t know Ziaire Williams and haven’t dug much into his life outside of basketball, so perhaps I’m reading too much into things that don’t matter, but my guess is a young man from a military family who chose Stanford University for academic reasons and plans to continue his degree after turning pro isn’t averse to working hard. And he’s going to have a chip on his shoulder after an underwhelming one-and-done season?

There are a lot of wings that I like in this draft. I think Chris Duarte is a plug-and-play pro. In terms of fit with the Knicks, he’s probably better than Bullock right now and could thrive into 2022 (and beyond) the way Reggie did last year.

Similarly, I think Trey Murphy is a Day One guy; that combination of length, defense, and shooting is just so appealing to me and affords the NY Knicks a lot of lineup flexibility, something they really lacked last year.

Cam Thomas, JT Thor, Josh Primo, BJ Boston, Kessler Edwards, Quentin Grimes…plenty of guys who bring something that the Knicks need and can be developed into more than they’ve shown at the NCAA level. But how many of those guys can you see being an All-Star one day? Because when you’re 6’10 and can handle and shoot off the dribble and create for yourself and others (and play defense!!), that’s your potential – Star with a capital S. And as I’ve said before and will continue to say until they prove me wrong, this is not the same organization that failed recent draft projects.

They are invested in player development and proved in Year One that they can achieve results you and I never thought possible. So if you have the right people and the right program in place, why not swing for the fences?

Verdict: If Rose & Co. stand pat (which they won’t) and decide to take a big cut on an unproven guy with upside, Williams has my vote. Definitely over guys like Thor and Primo, and over Cam and Springer, too (Cooper’s production, even in only a handful of games, puts him in a different category). With three picks from 19 to 32, they can bet on Williams’ ceiling and character – and Payne and Bryant’s sorcery – and grab safer player(s) elsewhere.

But Ziaire’s ceiling is the exact type of guy that turns the NY Knicks into a legitimate contender. Just look at the list of recent champions – which one doesn’t have the big wing scorer who can take over initiating responsibilities when called upon? We’ve already got RJ becoming his version of that; add Ziaire and, in the words of the great David Fizdale, “get him right,” and you’re set at the wings for the next decade-plus.

The NY Knicks as an organization are healthier than they’ve been in years, and this draft is just stacked enough for a talent like Ziaire Williams to slide to the 20s. This is the perfect risk to take.

Big thanks to Stewart Zahn for taking the time out to discuss Ziaire Williams. I strongly encourage you to check out the full scouting report linked above.  If you want to learn more about other 2021 NBA Draft prospects, you can check out the great work of Stewart and others at rollcallsportsnet.com.