Christian Williams: Thumbs up or .........

[The Sleeping Dog]

.... thumbs down on a permanent move outside. Been watching what streaming and highlights I can from the PTL and small highlight samples. Talked to a few friends that go to the games. Not deep personal knowledge.

But, based on what I've seen and heard his real future might lie at the three. There's a million ways to hide many of his offensive deficiencies while keeping a good, and hopefully getting better, defensive player at that position. If CW and the Baer split time there our opponents would face about 40 minutes of solid defensive effort.

It might even help the kid's offense as he clearly is not comfortable at point. What say you?

 

[EastIowaHawk]

I hope he does well this year. With all the promise of this team, if Bohannon goes down, we are in a ton of trouble. We need every guard to produce this year.

 

[TKingpin]

CW will be a fine back-up PG if he just remembers to Attack The Fricking Basket when he is on the floor.

He has a totally different skill set than JBo. He just need to play to his strengths.

 

[walleye hunter16]

CW will be a fine back-up PG if he just remembers to Attack The Fricking Basket when he is on the floor.

He has a totally different skill set than JBo. He just need to play to his strengths.

He was very good at this in his HS tapes. If he puts pressure on the hoop like he did in HS there would be alot of open asst opportunities for him.

 

[ScoutRefugee]

He's better suited for the 3 than the 1, IMO.

 

[showtime641]

Are any of our walk-on players capable of filling in at the 1 for a few minutes a game or is that just a crazy thought?

 

[Hawksfor3]

But, based on what I've seen and heard his real future might lie at the three.

I feel the same way and I posted something about it months ago. With his size, athleticism, and that LENGTH, he would do well there. Hope the chronic injury doesn't hamper him too much.

 

[nu2u]

He was very good at this in his HS tapes. If he puts pressure on the hoop like he did in HS there would be alot of open asst opportunities for him.

That's right. For Williams, position is a secondary consideration right now IMO 1,2, or 3 so long as he handles the ball well and creates opportunities to drive inside.

 

[jasonrann]

CW will be a fine back-up PG if he just remembers to Attack The Fricking Basket when he is on the floor.

He has a totally different skill set than JBo. He just need to play to his strengths.

This. He is a gifted athlete with long arms and serious hops. He should be pushing all the time, it will only create opportunities for others if he isn't getting to the hoop himself.

 

[icwesthawk]

I have gone on record saying that he could be a really good 3, maybe the best we have. Don't know who plays backup pg without him though. Lots of names have been thrown around but until I see it on the court, he's still the backup at the 1. Still think it's a possibility Connor plays basketball, backing up JBO, this season (I can dream anyway).

 

[And1Hawk]

I can't imagine a viable 3 in today's game that cannot make an outside shot but that's just me. Hopefully CW improves in this area then I'll buy it.

I also wonder what happens to Nunge, Pemsl, Dailey and Uhl if CW takes minutes at the 3? I include Pemsl in that because that means Nunge plays some 4 then so where does that leave Cordell?

 

[SB_SB]

I have gone on record saying that he could be a really good 3, maybe the best we have. Don't know who plays backup pg without him though. Lots of names have been thrown around but until I see it on the court, he's still the backup at the 1. Still think it's a possibility Connor plays basketball, backing up JBO, this season (I can dream anyway).

Best we have at the 3? In our offense the 3 needs to be able to shoot the three. I don't know what qualities he has that makes him a 3. Until his shooting improves he's not going to be more than just a backup at any position.

 

[icwesthawk]

Best we have at the 3? In our offense the 3 needs to be able to shoot the three. I don't know what qualities he has that makes him a 3. Until his shooting improves he's not going to be more than just a backup at any position.

Don't think Baer's a better 3, can't dribble into the lane well enough. I would love to see Uhl take the spot but he has not shown the ability to do it. Moss would probably be better. Haven't see Nunge, won't comment. Pemsl, really? CW has shown ability to drive to the bucket, has shown he can shoot from outside, last year not so much, hurt and confidence lacking, and he has the size and defensive ability, I like him at the 3 a lot. He may not work out but he looks part to me.

 

[RocknRollface]

He was very good at this in his HS tapes. If he puts pressure on the hoop like he did in HS there would be alot of open asst opportunities for him.

He wasn't facing big10 defenders in highschool.

He can't go around most big10 pgs, its very hard to face up someone 6 inches shorter and quicker than you.

The 3 position will allow him to use his driving ability more.

He could even be the primary ball handler if he was out there with JBO and Moss/BE because he would be matched up with a 3 and not a pg.

 

[pocha444444]

This. He is a gifted athlete with long arms and serious hops. He should be pushing all the time, it will only create opportunities for others if he isn't getting to the hoop himself.

Williams clearly didn't play very well last season, but Fran's constant motion offense that he runs also makes it difficult to drive to the basket even if you're a gifted athlete at the point. There are usually one or two guys clogging the lane because the offense doesn't create great spacing. Many times the point guard will be stuck dribbling out the ball while waiting for Oglesby/Ellingson/Jok/etc. to finish running off screens to get open. Wish Fran would run more offensive sets and pick and rolls. Motion is good some times, but not all of the time. I will say that it seemed like they ran more pick and rolls last year compared to previous seasons.

 

[jasonrann]

Williams clearly didn't play very well last season, but Fran's constant motion offense that he runs also makes it difficult to drive to the basket even if you're a gifted athlete at the point. There are usually one or two guys clogging the lane because the offense doesn't create great spacing. Many times the point guard will be stuck dribbling out the ball while waiting for Oglesby/Ellingson/Jok/etc. to finish running off screens to get open. Wish Fran would run more offensive sets and pick and rolls. Motion is good some times, but not all of the time. I will say that it seemed like they ran more pick and rolls last year compared to previous seasons.

As our three point shooting has improved, spacing has improved also. While we have certainly seen guys clogging the lane, I think our guards also passed up opportunities to drive, Moss especially. Perhaps it was due to youth or just tentativeness. However, with five guys on the floor (this season) that can shoot from anywhere, I suspect spacing is going to improve dramatically. We should also see even more inside/out movement which I will like a lot. Our bigs are unselfish and good passers, the offense could be lethal come B10 time.

 

[RocknRollface]

Williams clearly didn't play very well last season, but Fran's constant motion offense that he runs also makes it difficult to drive to the basket even if you're a gifted athlete at the point. There are usually one or two guys clogging the lane because the offense doesn't create great spacing. Many times the point guard will be stuck dribbling out the ball while waiting for Oglesby/Ellingson/Jok/etc. to finish running off screens to get open. Wish Fran would run more offensive sets and pick and rolls. Motion is good some times, but not all of the time. I will say that it seemed like they ran more pick and rolls last year compared to previous seasons.

I feel like we run allot of high ball screen action.

 

[RocknRollface]

With Williams at the 3 you lose something in the half court O, you gain something in defense and transition.

You can also put him on the other teams best penetrater and hide a weaker defender somewhere else.

 

[HawksRMe]

Sorry, CW just doesn't have the handles for much PT at the point. Last year he was so busy with his own dribbling he couldn't get anything done with the ball.

 

[hawkboy76]

I haven't seen much ability from CW to beat his man off the dribble, whether it's playing the 1 or the 3. Even in the PTL, I haven't seen him getting into the lane much.

 

[SB_SB]

Don't think Baer's a better 3, can't dribble into the lane well enough. I would love to see Uhl take the spot but he has not shown the ability to do it. Moss would probably be better. Haven't see Nunge, won't comment. Pemsl, really? CW has shown ability to drive to the bucket, has shown he can shoot from outside, last year not so much, hurt and confidence lacking, and he has the size and defensive ability, I like him at the 3 a lot. He may not work out but he looks part to me.

I hate to have to respond in a negative way because I like the guy's effort, but comments like "he has shown he can drive to the basket, shoot from the outside" is just not correct. You even said, "last year not so much". If it wasn't last year, when was it. He certainly didn't play much his first year. If he's been hurt, then I guess we'll have to wait and see how he does, but to say he's better than Baer (at the 3) is just not right. I hope he proves me wrong but at this point there's not much to say he'll be more of a success at the 3.

 

[icwesthawk]

Correct, CW only played in 19 games his freshman year. Avg 1.4 pts as opposed to 2.4 pts in 27 games last year. He did shoot .333 from 3 pt range vs .154 last year. He was hurt last year, it's been documented on this site, back and hip. He has shown the ability to drive into the lane, trouble finishing some times but this team needs that dynamic. I'll stand by him until he shows me he can't do it. Playing with confidence and playing point have been his problems and I don't think he gets away from the point this season, unfortunately.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Not sure where CW fits in, but I don't want him taking any of Baer's minutes at 3. Nunge and even Wagner or Uhl could also be used at 3, depending on match ups and others on the floor. Unless he suddenly gains confidence running the offense, I think I would like to see Ellingson get some minutes at PG.

 

[HawkLogic]

CW needs to stay at PG and backup Bohannon. Maybe he can play some 3 in limited action. With CW playing, You need to have shooters out there at the other positions to makeup for CW being a brick layer. This is true whatever position he plays.

I don't recall seeing him be a great driver. His FT shooting is poor, so there isn't a lot of upside to him driving and drawing fouls.

I see him as backup player. Moss hopefully will step up and Daishe also.

 

[DanL53]

Williams is the perfect 2017/18 model of look who we gave up on too early this time.

But it is true that he hasn't reached a level where we can trust him running the point as a back up game in and game out.

But he has had his moments.

No thumbs up on a permanent move to the wing. I want to see Ellingson, Dailey and Williams get a good look at point and I'm sure Fran will take the best one to back up JBo. The remaining two still have a shot at some time at the wings.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

I have gone on record saying that he could be a really good 3, maybe the best we have. Don't know who plays backup pg without him though. Lots of names have been thrown around but until I see it on the court, he's still the backup at the 1. Still think it's a possibility Connor plays basketball, backing up JBO, this season (I can dream anyway).

This has been mentioned several times, that Williams plays the 3, and plays it well. I am starting to think you all might be right. He certainly has the athleticism to play the 3. If he can develop any type of 3pt shot, then look out... either way he should have the skills to be a good 3.... I think Dailey and Ellingson cover the backup roll at the 1 for JBo.

 

[hooper56]

CW's real value as a backup pg is really on the defensive end. He is a very good defender with his length. Very good in the trap press.

 

[RefinedBean]

"Christian Williams should play the 3."

He's going to get an athlete stuck on him each time and basically be useless offensively. I love all Hawkeyes, and as hooper just mentioned, his true value is defensive. But if we're looking to generate offense from him, we're looking in the wrong spot.

I think we all have to have a come-to-Jesus moment on what it means to "develop" a player at Iowa, because it doesn't mean magically granting them a skillset they don't already have.

 

[wbrhawkeye]

I hope he does well this year. With all the promise of this team, if Bohannon goes down, we are in a ton of trouble. We need every guard to produce this year.

If Bohannon goes down I hope they would take the redshirt off Connor. Williams is no where close to a starting point guard.

 

[RocknRollface]

"Christian Williams should play the 3."

He's going to get an athlete stuck on him each time and basically be useless offensively. I love all Hawkeyes, and as hooper just mentioned, his true value is defensive. But if we're looking to generate offense from him, we're looking in the wrong spot.

I think we all have to have a come-to-Jesus moment on what it means to "develop" a player at Iowa, because it doesn't mean magically granting them a skillset they don't already have.

Most big10 pgs are athletes too, they are just shorter and quicker than most 3s thus making ball handling in front of them significantly more difficult than a player your own height.

Williams is pretty athletic himself, he just can't handle the ball well enough to be a pg.

I don't think he gets much pt either way but the 3 would be allot easier for him.

 

[bagdropper]

The only position I want CW to wind up at is "healthy".

IMHO, his back issues have seriously hindered his development. Get healthy, and I believe he finds his place in the rotation.