2019 NBA Mock Draft: Will the Knicks’ big gamble pay off?

This week’s fallout from the Anthony Davis trade request has helped put Williamson’s value in perspective — eight and a half months before we ever see him on an NBA court.  Already, the freshman is being talked about as the best individual player who could reasonably become the centerpiece of a Davis deal this summer should the Pelicans turn down the Lakers’ offer this week. This is in part because he will give the team who drafts him up to nine years of team control and the tantalizing nature of what could be over what currently is. However, it goes to show how rare of a prospect Williamson truly is — a sure thing like the league has seen only twice this century in Davis himself and LeBron James before that.

The 18-year-old has started to bang in more varied production in the box score lately in addition to strong scoring numbers against weak ACC defenses. Against Boston College on Tuesday, Williamson scored just 16 points but added 17 rebounds, three assists, four steals and three blocks. The only thing you could pick a nit with lately for the freshman has been shooting — Williamson is 9-of-18 from the free throw line over his past four games. Shots from deep haven’t been much closer, as Williamson is at just 28.6 percent from 3 this year.

So whether Williamson heads to New Orleans as the centerpiece for Davis during the summer, joins a couple stars in the Big Apple or heads a fun young Knicks teams, his future is extremely bright even if the woebegone Knicks win the lottery and earn the rights to draft this generational talent.