Get to know Cody Williams
Cody Williams speaks on what he's learned as a student of the game before the NBA Draft.
Overview
Born in San Luis Obispo, California, Williams attended Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona after his family moved there while he was young. He was an extremely accomplished high school player, named Premier Region Player of the Year as a junior and winning the Class 6A state title. As a senior, he led his team to a 30-1 record and a second straight championship. The five-star recruit played in the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Boys game and Nike Hoops Summit. Williams also participated in the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, playing for the United States team, coached by Colorado head coach Tad Boyle. Williams would go on to attend Colorado for college, where he was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2024. In 24 appearances (18 starts), the forward averaged 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 28.1 minutes.
Analysis
Williams fits the coveted prototype of a lengthy, athletic wing. His explosiveness isn’t jaw-dropping, but he can push the ball in transition and turn the corner on slower defenders in the halfcourt. His best offense comes when he can get a head of steam toward the rim and finish over rim protectors. If the defense commits too hard, he’s capable of making the right passing read. On the other end of the court, Williams can make life tough for almost any offensive player and would most likely thrive in a switch-heavy scheme. He’s lengthy and can move his feet. Like many young players of his skillset, he’s thin, which can limit him on both sides of the ball, but NBA teams probably won’t ask him to be a playmaker on offense or guard centers on defense. His shot is still somewhat of a question mark. He went 17-for-41 from deep (42%) but shot just 55-for-77 (71%) from the charity stripe.
Projection
Williams’ development track will depend a lot on his jumper and whether or not he can develop some more playmaking. If he can hit threes reliably, he’ll fit the mold of numerous lengthy three-and-D wings around the Association. If the shot is unstable but he develops as a playmaker, there could be similarities to someone like Aaron Gordon. If both aspects develop, the ultimate ceiling may look something like Pascal Siakam. But as it stands, the reason teams should be interested in Williams is the high floor his defense and physical tools provide him. He could slot into almost any team construction and be valuable.
— Profile by RotoWire