2022 NBA Draft: Charlotte Hornets select Mark Williams, Duke center

Duke center Mark Williams is off the board in the 2022 NBA Draft. With the No. 15 pick of the first round, Williams was selected by the Charlotte Hornets.

Williams, the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was the anchor of the Blue Devils defense as they made a run to the Final Four. He averaged 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game for Duke, which finished 32-7 overall and 16-4 in ACC play in Mike Krzyzewski’s final season as head coach.

Out of high school, Williams was a four-star recruit and the No. 31 player in the nation from the class of 2020, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NBA Draft analysts are saying about Mark Williams

ESPN’s Mike Schmitz offered his assessment of Williams’ skill set, especially on defense. In fact, he’ll be one of the longest players in the NBA — and Schmitz said there’s reason to believe he’ll have plenty of upside in the association.

“Williams’ sheer reach immediately makes him a game-changer as both a lob-catcher and rim-protector, elements we saw all season in the ACC as he finished a remarkable 76% of his shots at the rim in the half court,” Schmitz wrote. “Williams also ranks No. 3 among [ESPN’s] top 100 in block percentage and fourth in offensive rebound percentage, regularly creating extra possessions with tap-outs thanks to his timing and length.

“On top of all that, the fact that Williams weighed in at 242 pounds despite having considerable room to fill out his frame (5.4% body fat) bodes well for the 20-year-old, as he’s not the most physical big man out there. Expect Williams to generate significant interest throughout the lottery, potentially even leapfrogging fellow center Jalen Duren.”