[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Cody Williams
Frame: 6’8″, 180 lbs
Position: Forward
Team: Colorado Buffaloes
2024 Draft Age: 19
Stats via www.basketball-reference.com

Offense

Williams’ most intriguing skill is his playmaking for his size. Colorado frequently had him bring up the ball and initiate their offense. Still, Williams often deferred to teammates KJ Simpson and Tristan Da Silva after starting a play—leading to lower stats at 1.6 assists with an assist percentage of 10.4 percent, to 2.0 turnovers with a turnover percentage of 20.5 percent, according to www.barttorvik.com.

Williams’ vision excels off the ball, where he can attack closeouts and find the open man, be it a shooter on the weak side or his big man in Eddie Lampkin on the block. Williams has flashed some stop-and-go moves and little hesitations to free up teammates for open looks, which is something to monitor as he develops. Williams also has moments as a pick-and-roll ball handler, but his lack of strength is evident. He struggles to get past defenders and create for himself and others because they often bump him off his pass, and there is nothing he can do in return. He is best when he uses his quick feet to get downhill before opposing defenders can react and create advantages. 

The biggest swing skill for Williams will be his ability to knock down perimeter shots consistently. During the season, Williams shot 41.5 percent on 41 attempts while being assisted with 88.2 percent of these shots. However, he will have to sort out several mechanical issues for this efficiency to carry over to the next level. He has a bad habit of setting his feet after catching the ball and hopping into his shot, which gives the defense a second or two to get out to him. His elbow also sticks out on his shooting arm, which leads to some accuracy issues on a larger scale. He does have a high release, which will help when defenders close out on him, but he will have to speed up his shot to get it off effectively in the NBA. He shot 71.4 percent on 77 free throws, where the mechanical flaws follow, which is a red flag for his shot translating as is. 

As mentioned, Williams thrives at attacking downhill quickly for his teammate’s sake and his own, especially when it comes to getting and finishing at the rim, where he excels. Williams shot 73.6 percent on 91 attempts while being assisted on 43.3 percent of these shots. He uses all of his 7’1″ wingspan to finish over defenders, whether guards or bigs at the basket. Williams can finish both through contact with his size or going straight up over defenders. In transition, he has showcased some nice flushes, which he shows off in the halfcourt when presented with straight-line drives. 

Another area of growth for Williams as a creator will have to be in the mid-range area. Williams shot 37.1 percent on long twos on 62 attempts while being assisted on 21.7 percent of these shots. He often relies on floaters with his right hand in this range, with which he has a soft touch. He possesses an advanced handle for his size and age, which, paired with his physical tools, helps him get to his spots. His length allows him to get these looks off, but his thin frame doesn’t help when defenders bump him off his stride, resulting in misses.

 

Defense

Williams has clear strengths as a perimeter defender, especially on the ball. He uses his size and wingspan to bother ball handlers and disconcert them. Williams does a great job keeping up with offensive players on drives and has had a couple of highlight blocks, staying with a guard stride for stride and then pinning their shot at the rim. His footwork can sometimes be a problem, specifically on closeouts, where his feet tend to stop moving once he reaches his man, leading to them blowing by him and creating an advantage. He also tends to struggle with stronger defenders or big men, who can use their strength to move Williams around and get to their spots. 

Williams needs to improve his awareness off the ball, as he can struggle to get around off-ball actions and tends to get caught ball-watching. His thin frame is also problematic since he can’t get through complex screens and will likely be tested physically early in his NBA career. He also does not offer much in creating turnovers, averaging 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, with a steal percentage of 1.3 percent and a block percentage of 2.4 percent. Both totals are underwhelming, given his length and relative mobility. 

Looking Ahead

Williams is a player with intriguing upside, given his combinations of physical tools, perimeter skills, and overall upside. He will have some adjustments to make and is more of a project than the consensus seems to believe, with questions about his weight, shot translation, and defensive upside. A team must be patient with Williams and have a clear plan for his development. 

Williams projects to be a lottery pick with the chance to make the top five of this draft class. His floor is likely that of a rotation player, with the upside of a high-level starter if he can improve his weaknesses.