Los Angeles Lakers: 2018 NBA Draft workout preview

Gonzaga F, Johnathan Williams

Johnathan Williams played for some of the greatest teams in Gonzaga’s program history. He was a part of the first Final Four team that lost to North Carolina in 2017. He remained with the team for his senior season and had a solid season despite the team not advancing as far in the NCAA Tournament as they had hoped.

Williams led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.4 points and 8.7 boards per game. He is a throwback power forward of sorts, as he thrives doing the dirty work in the paint.

He is a back to the basket player with some solid moves in the post, however, he needs to expand his offense if he is going to find success there at the next level.

He has no range on his jump shot and isn’t a good free throw shooter. Expanding on that area of his game would help immensely as he won’t be able to bully as many players in the NBA as he did in a relatively weak West Coast Conference.

His solid athleticism gives promise that he can be at least an adequate shot blocker at the next level. Williams is a hard worker and if given a chance, could endear himself to some teams with his hustle.

However, if Williams wants to stick in the NBA, he has to expand his offensive game. There just isn’t much need for a power forward in today’s NBA that is limited offensively that isn’t elite in any other area.

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If Williams is on the Lakers at any point this offseason, it will be as an undrafted free agent. He most likely isn’t going to be on the radar, even for the second round, unless he really blows people away in his pre-draft workouts.