Latavious Williams

Strengths

Right-handed… Has a few great attributes- standing at 6'8" with long arms and excellent athleticism… Williams is an excellent rebounder, averaging over 7 boards a game, despite limited action in his NBDL career. He is very active on the glass. He has excellent hops and athleticism, which he uses well to gather rebounds on both ends of the court… Williams is good in transition because he has quick, long strides and runs the floor well… In the half-court setting, his mid-range jumper is where scouts get the belief that Williams can be an effect small forward at the next level. He has yet to hit with the consistency desired from his jumper, but with an offseason of hard work, it could come. He is an above-average shooter when his feet are set… On the defensive end, he shows nice promise as perimeter player- showing good lateral quickness and active hands and aggressiveness. He can get into the passing lanes and contest shots with his lengthy wingspan and athleticism… He is still learning the game of basketball. In an interview with Williams, he claims that he had never learned the fundamentals of the game, including offensive spacing and defensive positioning. It's surprising to see the amount of success Williams is having over the past several weeks in the NBDL after not playing much in the earlier half of the Development league's season…

Weaknesses

Williams is still learning about many of the facets of the game, so it could take quite some time before he is able to contribute at the next level. … Offensively, especially in the half-court, Williams is not much of a threat. His poor ball-handling ability is a reason why some scouts look at Williams as an undersized power forward in the NBA, and not as a small forward as some may hope. He has limited advanced ball moves and often times looks uncomfortable putting the ball on the floor… Around the rim, he really struggles. His body and game are developing at the same time, and he finds difficulty putting home short jumpers or baby hook shots. He doesn't shield the ball well from defenders, nor does he finish with contact… He will be just one year removed from high school this spring, but he is already 21 years old. He could use another year or two of playing experience before entering his name into the NBA Draft…