One of the more intriguing stat-lines to emerge from this seasons early going are the monster scoring numbers that Reggie Williams has produced for Sioux Falls25 points per game on 58% shooting from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. This might not come as that much of a surprise considering that Williams led the NCAA in scoring for two straight seasons, but many scouts were quick to write that off as being a product of playing for a ridiculous fast-paced VMI team that more often than not surpassed the 100 point per game mark.
Williams has one of the more unique styles of play that youll find at pretty much any level of basketball. Undersized, not overly strong, fast, or explosive, and with a body that looks like it could stand to shed a good 10-15 poundsWilliams surely doesnt look the part of a scoring machine, but thats exactly what he is. He has an amazing knack for finding buckets, be it with his off the ball movement, getting to the rim in transition, pulling up for awkward lefty jumpers in 10-15 feet, or drilling spot-up jumpers with his feet set from beyond the arc.
His coach Tony Fritz is clearly his biggest fan. He amazes me all the time with the way he finds ways to score within the flow of the game. All of a sudden you look up at the scoreboard and see that he has 25 points, and you wonder, how the heck did he manage to do that?
The biggest story to report about Williams development revolves around the improvement of his perimeter shot. Only a 28% 3-point shooter as a college senior, Williams made just 21% of his 3-point attempts as a rookie in France last season playing for Dijon. This year hes upped that to a far more respectable 38%, despite the fact that hes now shooting NBA 3-pointers (more than 3 feet further back). He has a fairly ugly flat-footed stroke, but finds a way to get the job done thanks to his consistent mechanics and excellent touch.
Williams continues to get to the free throw line at a very good rate, something hes done throughout his career. Despite showing an average first step and less than incredible advanced ball-handling skills, Williams relies on his excellent timing and scoring instincts to attack unbalanced defenses and make his way to the rim. He does a great job initiating contact and finishing aggressively despite the fact that hes not the most explosive player around, and is even better at finding spaces in the mid-range area to pull-up off the dribble and make crafty shots with his terrific touch.
Williams biggest weakness as an NBA prospect clearly revolves around his play on the defensive end. He lacks lateral quickness in a major way and struggles badly trying to stay in front of athletic slashers already at the D-League level. While his effort level is usually solid and his wingspan is above average, he cant be described as anything more than a mediocre defender, something that is clearly holding him back.
Williams regardless is a guy that teams need to take a look at, as he has outstanding scoring instincts and is producing in a huge way in a very efficient manner. He might not be the top swingman prospect in the D-League, but he cant be that far off.
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