By Jonathan Lee
Photo: Phenom Hoops / Courtside Films
November 14, 2020
Steph and Seth Curry, Anthony Morrow, Jeff McInnis, Antawn Jamison, and Grant Williams. These are just a few of the players the city of Charlotte has produced for the NBA over the years. After Wednesday night’s 2020 NBA Draft, we can add two more names to that list.
The first is point guard Devon Dotson, former teammate of Grant Williams (Boston Celtics) at Providence Day School, he’s also the school’s all-time leading scorer. Dotson spent two years playing at perennial powerhouse University of Kansas where he averaged 18.1 points and four assists per game in his sophomore pandemic-shortened season, leading the conference in scoring. Dotson’s game is predicated on speed and quickness, with the ability to get to the rim on pick-and-roll plays and in transition. He’s also a savvy ball-handler with solid court vision. Dotson is expected to hear his name in the late first or early second round.
West Charlotte High School graduate Patrick Williams is one of the hottest names moving up the draft boards after recent workouts. With Williams’ 6’8” frame and 6’11” wingspan, combined with his NBA-ready weight at 225 pounds, it’s no surprise he’s rising. With a solid freshmen campaign playing for Gastonia native Leonard Hamilton at Florida State, he made the decision to declare for the draft in late March. Williams averaged 9.2 points and four rebounds while playing just 22.5 minutes a game for the Seminoles in 2019. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award in the ACC and, along with another highly touted draft prospect, Devin Vassell, led the Seminoles to a 26-5 overall record with a 16-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Finishing the season with the best record in school history, the Seminoles were named conference champions in the shortened season.
Williams’ combination of size, strength, and athleticism are the factors pushing his name into the top half of the draft. His ability as a valuable 3-and-D prospect (defined by the ability to guard numerous positions on defense and knock down the open 3-point shot) is considered his greatest strength as he learns to become a more fluid and aggressive player on offense. At 19, Williams is also one of the youngest players in this year’s draft, so there’s big upside. These traits, along with his high motor and athletic ability have Williams’ stock fluctuating from as high as No. 5 to the Cleveland Cavaliers down to the end of the lottery (pick No. 14). There are rumors that the Detroit Pistons are highly interested at the No. 7 slot according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, but don’t be surprised if he lands with San Antonio at No. 11 after a recent in-person workout.
The NBA Draft, which normally takes place in late June, was pushed back to November as the NBA restarted their season in July, ending with the Los Angeles Lakers being crowned as NBA Champions in October. The league and the Players Association recently came to an agreement on a 72-game regular season for 2020-21 which will begin December 22. The successful NBA bubble restart pushed the league’s off-season business, too– which normally lasts about two months– into a window of about three weeks, consisting of the draft, trades, the free agency moratorium, and signing period.
Wherever Patrick Williams and Devon Dotson get selected to start their NBA journeys, there will be two more names added to the long list of quality NBA talent hailing from the Queen City.
The NBA Draft will air live Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
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