NBA Draft 2018: 5 best undrafted players
1. Kenrich Williams (TCU)
Kenrich Williams was not taken during the 2018 NBA Draft. He was ESPN’s Kevin Pelton’s 27th ranked prospect heading into the night (our own Trevor Magnotti had him ranked 42nd). Either way, Williams was saw by most as a player worthy of being drafted in this year’s crop. Everything that teams say they want from a versatile wing, Williams provides. He’s willing to do the dirty work. He plays either forward position. He is a decent outside shooter with a career 37.5 three-point percentage. He can make plays with the ball. You name it, Williams has the ability to do it.
With Jamie Dixon taking over at TCU, the Horned Frogs, became a much more relevant team in the Big 12. Williams play was a big part of that turnaround. He nearly averaged a double-double in his senior year (13.2 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game). However, at 23 years old–Williams was a junior college transfer and missed his junior season with a medical redshirt–and being an average athlete, there really isn’t much upside and potential left to his game.
However, upside or no upside, Williams is a ready-made player that could be a contributor for a team right away. Defensively he could have a real impact as he showed flashes of being a weakside rim-protector and switchable defender. It will be interesting to track where he ends up as he could be a nice complementary piece for a playoff team next season. The Nuggets have reportedly brought him in on a training camp deal.
For some players going undrafted might be a big detriment to their future, in Williams’ case it looks as if he’ll now have his choice of landing spots. Finding a situation that let’s him be himself is key and with the proper foundation in place Williams is the player that has the best chance of joining the list of fellow undrafted studs in NBA history.