C: Noah Williamson (JR)
Height/Weight: 7’0”/250 lbs
Previous School: Bucknell
2024-25 Stats: 17.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 BPG, 53.8% FG
Offensive Impact
Versatile offensive skill set
Has shown an efficient post-up game throughout his career. 82nd percentile in post-up efficiency last season (may not be on display as much in a Nate Oats offense).
Can put the ball on the deck and score as a driver. His ability to spin and score with either hand will be tough for opposing centers to handle. Can grab a defensive rebound and go coast to coast as well. Potential mismatch problem for slower footed big men in general.
Floor spacing ability is intriguing (28-88 from 3 last season). The pick and pop game will be used frequently at Alabama, and he should receive plenty of open looks due to all of the offensive firepower around him. If he can knock perimeter shots down at a decent clip, driving lanes will open up for everyone else and would make the Tide a very difficult cover for any defense.
Williamson is not super physical and is also not a great offensive rebounder for his position (6.9% OREB for career), so his scoring ability will most likely need to translate to make him a high impact player at the SEC level.
Will see most of his minutes playing the center position but wouldn’t be surprised if he plays power forward for small spurts. Will most likely depend on matchups from game to game.
Defensive Impact
Length and mobility is intriguing. Can contest without jumping due to his wingspan.
SEC physicality could bother him, but he’s not a terrible post up defender. Oats typically will not double team the post, so he will need to be solid when guarding 1 on 1 inside.
Will be defending pick and roll in drop coverage almost exclusively, but there are some concerns with him as a defensive anchor. He’s not a great vertical athlete and his rim defense doesn’t grade out too well (in a not so athletic Patriot League).
Rim defense was still an issue for Bama against quality competition (63.8% rim FG% against Quad 1 teams), and it doesn’t appear that Williamson will provide much more resistance in this area.
Good rebounder on this end (23% OREB in career), but it remains to be seen whether or not this will translate to SEC basketball, as it is tough to put stock into rebounding numbers in the Patriot League.