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The Charlotte Hornets have selected Duke center Mark Williams with the 15th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Williams spent two years at Duke, blossoming into a lottery prospect in his second season. As a sophomore, the 20-year-old big man averaged 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 2.8 blocks on 72.1% shooting from the field.
At the NBA Draft Combine, Williams turned in some impressive measurements. He was the second-tallest player without shoes (7’0) and the tallest player measured with shots (7’2). His 7’6.5 wingspan was also the longest measured. Williams weighed in at 242.4 lbs.
In addition, his standing reach was measured at 9’9, which is the second-tallest ever recorded in the history of the combine, only behind Tacko Fall.
Mark Williams is such a reliable defender. Will clean up a lot of dirty work on defense.
— Ersin Demir (@EDemirNBA) June 19, 2022
Does a great job fighting through the screen set at the free-throw line to come up with a huge block at the rim.
Number 18 on my latest big board. pic.twitter.com/zmmIvGlo2h
The Duke big man has been heavily connected to the Hornets in mocks leading up to the draft. He projects to be a great fit in Charlotte, as they are currently on the hunt for a center to pair alongside LaMelo Ball and their current core.
Charlotte will also benefit from Williams’ impressive defensive capabilities, as they have struggled on that side of the ball. He also projects to be an elite finisher, quality rebounder, and crazy athlete.
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