Player Development Thread- Robert Williams

1,353 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by jml2621
mdanyc03
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Starting with a quick review of last season's performance.

- SEC defensive player of the year. 2.5 blocks per game.
- Shot 56% from the field and 59% from the line.
-Didn't play more than 26 minutes in any game (and under 20 minutes in most games) until game 14. Played at least 30 minutes every game but the blow out wins over the last 10.

Here are what I see as key areas of off season development.

1. The exciting thing about Robert Williams is that he was so good but also has so much obvious room for improvement. More than anybody else on the roster, Robert Williams can improve a ton in basic fundamentals. Things like blocking out, rotating and positioning correctly on defense and so forth. Most games he doesn't need to block out because he can just jump over everybody, but in a couple of games it really hurt us (Arkansas stands out in my mind). This is somewhere I expect we will see a clear and obvious improvement.

2. Although it is hard to imagine, I think we will see a significant physical improvement. Robert Williams put on 30 pounds last off season. As explosive as he was this year, he will still adjusting to carrying the extra weight. I don't think it impacted his max vertical much necessarily but it did impact his stamina and his ability to quick jump/ second jump through out the game. In the interview with Logan on premium he specifically mentioned this and said that it took basically all year for his joints to adjust to jumping with the extra weight and that he had to ice his knees and ankles after every game.

3. Developing a little mini hook with the left and right hand. If he does that he will be absolutely unstoppable in the post. Unlike Tyler he doesn't need great foot work and positioning because he can just jump over who ever is guarding him. He did that funny looking move that was kinda a hybrid between a drop step and a turn around jump shot but it usually worked because he could just elevate. If he just gets to where he can turn to either shoulder in the post there will be literally nothing that anybody can do (in the college game) to stop him. In the interview with Logan he said he was working on his left hand because his left hand "was pretty terrible."

4. And then the obvious; improve on free throws. Nice touch and nice release, back spin, etc. He can be a 70% free throw shooter eventually. Maybe even this year.

Robert Williams was really good this year and I expect him to be the most improved player on the roster. Should be a ton of fun to watch.

What do you think?

bobinator
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You hit the big ones, but a couple of very specific things for Williams:

1) Basic low block moves. You mention a hook shot, but I don't even think I remember him doing any basic drop steps. He was a big time scorer without any basic low post game, which is unreal.

2) On-ball defense. He didn't know any low post moves on offense, and he didn't know how to defend them on defense. Great help defender, amazing recovery defender, good in a zone because of his absolutely absurd range, but a pretty mediocre on-ball defender last season against anyone who had any sort of skill.

And then there's the wild card for him which is his jumpshot. If he can extend out like the coaches seem to think he can and like he kept trying to prove he can, then it takes him into potential #1 pick territory. We don't necessarily need him to do that, but it could be the biggest thing that changes his draft stock going into next year.

We should be a hoops equivalent of a football team with two great running backs. Pound 'em with a lineup with Davis, and when he gets tired feature a fast lineup with Williams at center and speed the game up.

I don't see why they should ever both be out of the game unless we're winning by 30 or they're in foul trouble.

GE
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You guys have it covered. Robert himself had a pretty good list in his interview.
mdanyc03
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Next question then i guess is how good you think he will be this year. What are the odds he is first team all American good?
Hop
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Staff
AG
Early in the season when he was playing fewer minutes, his free throw shooting was actually very good. In fact, he may have been the team leader in percentage in mid-December if I recall. I'm not sure if his percentage went down because he was more fatigued at the line or if it was just a fluke.

In fact, I just looked and he was at 80% at Christmas (20 of 25) before conference play started.
bobinator
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mdanyc03 said:

Next question then i guess is how good you think he will be this year. What are the odds he is first team all American good?
I think he's going to be really, really good, but I don't think he'll have the numbers to be first team All-American.

But I sort of have this crazy vision in my head of every game somewhere around the 15 minute mark of each half we sub out Tyler Davis and D.J. Hogg and put in Flagg and one of the freshman guards and go balls out full court press for about five minutes and just push the tempo of the game as fast as we can. Williams, Flagg, et all just throwing down oops and trapping end to end. As the season goes along the students would start to get into it and ramp up the atmosphere coming out of that timeout, the other team would know it was coming, etc.

Basically run the other team to death for about 5-8 game minutes, then bring Davis and Hogg back in fresh off the bench to close it out. Let Williams go out for a break after that run for about five game minutes and then bring him back in for the final push.

I know that's unlikely to happen, but it would be awesome.
Method Man
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How is at being in position?
fightinags2013
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He really sucks at catching alley-oops, & could really improve there. Just terrible.
wacarnolds
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mdanyc03 said:

Next question then i guess is how good you think he will be this year. What are the odds he is first team all American good?

The odds have to be low, but I think it's a realistic goal. He'll be on everyone's radar, so if he's good, he'll get the hype necessary to win that type of award. And he'll be a highlight player on both ends of the court, which helps his chances.
hoya-ag
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finishing with his left hand should be his number one goal for the summer
jml2621
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Blocking out.


General Beasting.
jml2621
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bobinator said:

mdanyc03 said:

Next question then i guess is how good you think he will be this year. What are the odds he is first team all American good?
I think he's going to be really, really good, but I don't think he'll have the numbers to be first team All-American.

But I sort of have this crazy vision in my head of every game somewhere around the 15 minute mark of each half we sub out Tyler Davis and D.J. Hogg and put in Flagg and one of the freshman guards and go balls out full court press for about five minutes and just push the tempo of the game as fast as we can. Williams, Flagg, et all just throwing down oops and trapping end to end. As the season goes along the students would start to get into it and ramp up the atmosphere coming out of that timeout, the other team would know it was coming, etc.

Basically run the other team to death for about 5-8 game minutes, then bring Davis and Hogg back in fresh off the bench to close it out. Let Williams go out for a break after that run for about five game minutes and then bring him back in for the final push.

I know that's unlikely to happen, but it would be awesome.


I want to see us in the passing lanes more, stealing, and revving it on the semi-break. We're be able to play a lot more MTM. That should help a lot.
jml2621
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fightinags2013 said:

He really sucks at catching alley-oops, & could really improve there. Just terrible.
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