NBA Draft: 5 Reasons Cleveland Should Take Derrick Williams Over Kyrie Irving
After it was announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers had won the lottery, ESPN made it look like a foregone conclusion that the team would use that first pick on former Duke point guard Kyrie Irving.
They cut to Irving in the crowd soon after the announcement and interviewed him a couple minutes later. The topic of the interview was how excited Irving was to play for the Cavaliers.
Irving and his agent are so sure Cleveland's going to use the first overall pick on him that he skipped not only the drills at this year's NBA pre-draft camp, but athletic testing as well.
Did I miss something? Did Derrick Williams withdraw from the draft?
To me, Williams is not only the better pro prospect, he's a better fit for the Cavaliers right now.
Here are five reasons he should be this year's top overall pick...
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Point Guard Isn't Their Biggest Need
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I'm not saying that they can't use a point guard, but that hole in the roster is definitely not the biggest one.
Baron Davis, Ramon Sessions and combo guard Daniel Gibson all averaged double-figure scoring for the Cavaliers, and Davis and Sessions both averaged over five assists a game.
They didn't blow anyone away, but Cleveland's point guards vastly outperformed their small forwards.
Jamario Moon, Jawad Williams and Joey Graham all averaged fewer than six points a game. Anthony Parker (a shooting guard) started plenty of games at small forward and averaged 8.3 points a game.
The team desperately needs to upgrade on the wing and Derrick Williams is a clear step up from anyone who played small forward for the Cavaliers last season.
They Can Take a Point Guard with the 4th Pick
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Kyrie Irving played in 11 games as a freshman and skipped every physical aspect of the pre-draft camp, yet he's still considered by many to be the closest thing to a sure thing in this draft.
I don't think I can remember another NBA prospect who was more inexplicably hyped than Irving. I haven't really heard anyone give a logical explanation for why he is a better pick than Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker.
In fact, I've heard a lot more of the opposite. There are a lot of reasons to think Knight or Walker would be a better NBA point guard than Irving.
They're both more athletic than Irving. Knight is more athletic and has a better NBA body. Walker is a proven winner who led UConn on one of the craziest runs in NCAA history.
And if Cleveland passes on Irving at No. 1, there's a good chance Walker, Knight or both might be available when the Cavaliers are on the clock again at pick No. 4.
A combo of Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker/Brandon Knight would be a great foundation for Cleveland's future and would bring a lot more excitement than Kyrie Irving and Enes Kanter (or some other possible combo with Irving).
Derrick Williams Is the Most NBA-Ready Prospect
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Derrick Williams put up fewer points than Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette this past season, but he may be the most polished scorer in this draft class.
He averaged 19.5 points a game while shooting 60 percent from the field and 57 percent from three-point range. He displayed the ability to score from anywhere on the floor and against any type of defender.
He was also a decent rebounder, averaging 8.3 a game last year.
Williams will need a lot of work to become a good perimeter defender in the NBA, but that's really the only glaring weakness I can see with him.
Because of his athleticism and intensity, Williams is a prospect who is not only NBA-ready, but one who is bursting with potential as well.
Head-to-Head Matchup
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Because Williams and Irving play different positions, this doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's still worth noting.
Williams had an incredible game against Duke in the NCAA Tournament. He scored 32 points on 11-17 shooting (including 5-6 from three-point range) and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Irving played great too, scoring 28 points on 9-15 shooting. He only had three assists though, and the Blue Devils lost the game by 16 points.
Irving's inability to get his teammates involved in that game was not out of the ordinary. Experts keep saying he's the closest thing to a true point guard in this draft, but he only averaged 4.3 assists a game this year.
That's the same average as the constantly criticized Jimmer Fredette.
Derrick Williams Is the More Exciting Player
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Don't get me wrong, I think Irving may end up being a pretty solid point guard in the NBA. But so far, he hasn't given me much reason to think he'll be able to energize Cleveland's fanbase.
Derrick Williams has.
He is an electrifying player who is almost certain to posterize some guys next year. He has a little flair for the dramatic and a combo of Williams and Kemba Walker could be one of the most exciting young duos in the league.
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