Celtics Draft Texas A&M Big Man Robert Williams With 27th Overall Pick In 2018 NBA Draft
With the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Texas A&M forward Robert Williams.
Standing at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Williams entered the draft as one of the top prospects in terms of rim protection and shot-blocking. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski described Williams as a “lottery-level talent” who could be the “steal of the first round” for the C’s.
Williams earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a spot on the SEC All-Defensive team in both seasons with the Aggies.
Mar 22, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies forward Robert Williams (44) dunks against the Michigan Wolverines in the second half in the semifinals of the West regional of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at STAPLES Center. (Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
However, Williams’ draft stock dropped due to character concerns. According to his scouting report at NBADraft.net, Williams “has a tendency to leave you wanting more” and his competitiveness has been questioned. Wojnarowski believes Williams can be a huge steal if Brad Stevens and the Celtics can get him to consistently play at his best.
Williams is mainly known for his defense, as he’s a poor free-throw shooter and has tended to disappear “for stretches of games” on offense. But he’s a super-athletic big man with a high ceiling as a defender, which has drawn comparisons to DeAndre Jordan.
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