Michael Carter Williams Scouting Report

By: Chase Fitzgerald (@NBADraftGuy)

Michael Carter Williams

Position: Point Guard

College: Syracuse

Birthday: 10/12/91 (21 years old)

Height: 6’5.75”

Weight: 184

Wingspan: 6’7.25”

Standing Reach: 8’5”

Michael Carter Williams had an up and down season looking like a top 5 pick at times but also looking like he’s never set foot on a basketball court at times. Either way, MCW is one of the highest rated point guards in the draft and is filled with potential intriguing many NBA teams. MCW may be a top ten pick come June and has the ability to become a superstar. He has a long way to go though. Here are my findings:

Pros:

Great Decision Maker:

Michael Carter Williams almost always makes the right decision and is an overall smart basketball player. He never gets too turnover prone and just doesn’t make stupid passes. He never tries to force the ball and in when he is in transition, he isn’t afraid to dribble the ball back out instead of forcing a contested floater. He is a very unselfish, pass first player who would be great on a team that already has a superstar.

Clutch

Michael Carter Williams may have problems with his shot but he always makes the shot when it counts. He has the ability to single handedly take over games as he just takes his game to another level in crunch time. It seems like he rides the momentum of his team and always is there to cap off his team’s big run. This is the same defensively as well. He may be inconsistent at times but, when there is 10 seconds left and the opposing guard is trying to create something like in example A, MCW makes sure that nothing happens. Being clutch can’t be taught, it’s just something that a select amount of players are born with and MCW definitely has the clutch gene.

Example A & B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8-4C5DKYkI

Patient

Like I said before, MCW never forces any play. He always waits for the play to develop and never rushes to make a decision. This is a very good quality to have in a point guard that many teams would kill to have in theirs. He passes on the opportunity of a mildly open shot and is willing to make the extra pass to get the more open shot. It’s nice to see a player that is not afraid to drain the shot clock to make sure his team gets the best possible shot.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DdRcDeOcqE

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGJAPXRiyqM

Length

We won’t know his standing reach until the combine but what I do know is that a point guard with a 6’5” wingspan is not normal. His length can really be shown when he plays defense when he always make sure to keep both of his arms out wide to make any pass much more difficult for the opposing guard. He constantly knocks away passes and causes havoc as much as any guard in college. His length makes any inbounds pass 10x more difficult as well because the inbounder can’t make any lazy lob passes because MCW will get a hand on them.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFC-eUyEU18

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YT1WDHr3Uo

Height

The average height for a NBA point guard is around 6’2” so obviously, the 6’5” Michael Carter Williams has a huge advantage. He can easily shoot over any guard and if he develops a reliable floater, it’s going to make guarding him almost impossible. Having him on the court will cause match-up problems for the opposing team on offense and on defense.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSiOA5LVZNo

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkOHodRKmZE

Speed

MCW is crazy fast for someone his size which is one of the main reasons why he is so good at getting to the basket. He can usually easily run by his defender, being one of the most athletic guards in college basketball if not being the most athletic, and can turn any rebound into a fast break.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ursobv2cSMk

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvDl3mgDmog&feature=youtu.be

Hands

Michael Carter Williams has a knack for getting a hand on the ball. This is assisted by his length but he still does a better job at it than most. When defending a fast break, instead of going up with the player just to be called for a foul, he strips the opposing player and usually knocks the ball off him as well usually getting all ball. An underrated skill that can save a few baskets.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wZvTKYMbFY

Example B:

Transition

I haven’t had more fun watching a player on a fast break/transition than Michael Carter Williams. He always makes the right decision and always knows whether to push the pace or not. He converts on pretty much every opportunity he gets and transition baskets were a huge reason why Syracuse made the final four this year. It is a thing of beauty watching him on a fast break and I expect his book called “How to run a fast break” to come out real soon.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV0pdMLRoFI

Can catch fire

MCW isn’t a very good shooter but once he sees one ball go into the hoop, his confidence sky rockets. A great example of this is in the Cincinnati game when he was missing everything when a floater roles into the basket, and he goes on to only miss one shot the rest of the game. MCW is a very streaky shooter so there are some games where he is just ice cold but when he heats up, it’s scary.

Example A &B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5xq_tvFkKI

The little things

You will never see MCW complain for a foul call while the ball is still in play and whenever he commits a turnover, he always makes sure to hustle back on defense. He always crashed the boards for a rebound despite being a point guard and seems to get at least 2 or 3 extra possessions for his team each game. He also makes sure to find a player to box out which I absolutely love in a prospect. Someone who doesn’t overlook the little things that he was taught growing up.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec86DSFAUHo

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJSYEAjnCo

High release point

A high release point paired with MCW’s 6’5” height makes it pretty much impossible for him to be blocked. He needs to start hitting his shots though to put those things to use. I don’t care if your release point is with your arms straight up, if it doesn’t go in, it doesn’t matter. MCW will definitely improve his shot and when he does, opposing point guards will have some problems.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h53et-qOMic

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDMLEi_FTHQ

Rebounding

Usually teams are more than happy to get 3 or 4 rebounds from their point guard because 7 foot centers almost always out rebound the 6 foot guards. But with MCW, that’s not the case. The almost 6’6 guard can jump right up there with the forwards and will steal a few rebounds from them. Just another perk of being tall.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0DA9GKHZGs

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdZckmfu_VI

Gets teammates open shots

Michael Carter Williams is just fantastic at getting shooters open shots. He does it two ways. The first way is by driving in, attracting the defense, and kicking out. A skill that many point guards have. The other way is very interesting. He drags his defender away from the shooter and creating room before passing to him for the wide open shot like in example A.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frJlfyxKNwA

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX2-VhwgYVo

Crazy athletic

This was kind of a given from the things I mentioned above but he is crazy athletic especially for someone his size. MCW seems like an athlete that could pretty much excel at anything but chose basketball. He’s fast, tall, and has got some ups. He has the ability to end worlds like in example A, and will never have a problem keeping up with anyone he guards in the NBA.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN2Hm1Roqyc

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wSNTDTM-dk

Pushes Pace

Although MCW is a very patient and smart player, he’s not afraid to push the pace. In the Providence game at the end of the first half, MCW started 5 straight fast breaks all of them translating into points. His athleticism and speed allows him to do this and he would be a perfect fit for a fast pace team like the Thunder.

Cons:

His Shot

Michael Carter Williams has struggled with putting the ball in the basket his entire college career shooting under 40 percent for the season. Improving his shot has to be his number 1 focus for the off-season because if MCW had a reliable jump shot, he wouldn’t only be the number 1 point guard in the draft, but possibly a top 5 pick. Teams will shy away from picking him because of his inability to score consistently and they have a legitimate point.

Confused Constantly on Defense

Even though MCW is fantastic on defense at times, not letting anyone get around him, he has moments where you question whether he knows what basketball is. He falls for pump fakes and fake passes constantly and sometimes just takes himself out of the play completely. It’s sometimes hard to watch, but if you don’t at least chuckle when watching the examples there’s something wrong.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXowW6fZqng

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NwYpChXdWU

Needs to be more aggressive

MCW is patient which is very good in a point guard but, sometimes he’s a little to patient for his own good. He needs to attack the basket more because when he does, good things happen. He does drive and kick out a lot but pretty soon, defenders are going to guard for the kick out knowing he won’t shoot. Sometimes that little opening to the basket is the best you’re going to get. You can’t always wait for a better one because sometimes, that opportunity doesn’t show up.

Mental Lapses/Common sense

Yes MCW, I understand you need to stay in your zone but, when there is no one near you it’s time to move. MCW makes you want to scream at your television at times, when he guards no one on an inbounds pass or watching an opposing player go right by him for the easy lay-up. He needs to get his head in the game and just have common sense.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDcGlQ_l67o

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJjKov6cHHE

Doesn’t always contest shots

There is literally no explanation for it. Maybe he’s scared of falling for a pump fake or something but at times he just stands there and doesn’t put his hand up. I know the man shooting is a little far from him but it wouldn’t hurt to at least try to contest the shot. It’s just a little thing that I’ve noticed that bothers me a whole lot.

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BKPvcNPEmY

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb5yoYQMYaA

Handles

Michael Carter Williams does not have the best handles in the world, plain and simple. He does have a great hesitation move but besides that, his bag of tricks is pretty much empty. He needs to work on his offensive game as a whole but developing a reliable crossover to pair with his hesitation would be a great start.  

Example A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua2NcutmG10

Example B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DjWmGLoMu0&feature=youtu.be

Relies on Athleticism

There is no real examples for this but you can tell from watching his games that without his crazy athleticism, he wouldn’t be ranked very high. He relies on his athleticism way too much and the problems for guys like that is their careers run short such as Allen Iverson. He needs to develop his shot and create some kind of offensive game beyond his natural talent is he’s going to have a long and productive career.

Raw Prospect

Just like many other players in this draft, MCW is very raw as a prospect. He could develop into a superstar or a bust. He needs to be drafted by a team that is willing to be patient with him instead of throwing him right into the fire. He is a very risky pick and along with his possible bust factor it wouldn’t surprise me to see him fall in the draft.

Michael Carter Williams is a very intriguing prospect that will get a lot of attention from NBA teams. He has the potential to be a superstar and even though I don’t think he’ll become that good, he ill succeed at the next level. I can’t wait to follow his career.

Michael Carter Williams vs. Michigan Second Half

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Jm1x6vKs4

0:00: MCW once again secure the rebound for the Orange. He may not be having a big offensive game, but he does the little things.

0:08: MCW plays this fast break perfectly as he first stops ball but then is able to jump to the shooter to contest the shot. Can’t play it any better.

0:15: MCW drives into the lane and instead of forcing the ball into traffic, waits for his teammate to get open and makes the nice pass for the dunk. Great patience by MCW.

0:22: MCW makes the lazy pass which is tipped up by Burke for the easy steal. Something you don’t see from MCW often.

*0:28: MCW plays perfect defense on Burke staying in front of him and not letting him create anything. MCW improved on this part of his game as the year went on.

0:37: MCW drives in and shoots a very contested shot and misses but, thanks to his length and athleticism, he usually makes that contested shot. So, I have no problem with him taking that.

*0:43: MCW again secures the tough rebound.

0:49: MCW is a ballhawk that makes inbounds passes 10 times harder. You won’t be to make lazy lob passes with him back there.

0:56: MCW drives in and kicks out to the open shooter who just misses. One assist taken away from MCW.

1:04: MCW was called for a blocking foul on almost the same exact play last half but is called for the charge on this one. Like I said before, the call could go either way but unlucky for him, both went against MCW.

1:14: MCW continues to cause havoc on defense tipping another pass away but is not able to recover it for the steal.

1:20: Yeah did not mean to put this play on here completely my bad, don’t pay attention to it.

1:28: MCW once again breaks up the lazy lob pass on the inbounds and tips it out of bounds. With his athleticism and length, he is able to cover the entire back court which makes an inbouders life way harder.

1:39: MCW once again breaks up the lazy pass but this time is able to tip it to his teammate to start the fast break and get the bucket.

1:46: MCW gets shoved my Burke yet is somehow called for the foul. Just inexcusably poor officiating that ends up costing Syracuse the game.

2:01: After a Michigan flop, MCW is once again wrongfully called with a foul, with this one taking him out of the game. I don’t usually sympathize with fans that say the refs cost them the game but you have to feel bad for Syracuse fans. 

Michael Carter Williams vs. Michigan First Half Game Breakdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJeK1YfiBdk

0:00: MCW gets into transition and makes his decision a little too fast which allows the defender to stop the fast break. It is the beginning of a Final Four game so the nerves may be a factor but I’m still used to seeing convert that opportunity.

*0:10: MCW reacts very quickly to the pass and almost gets the steal. Any other point guard would watch that ball go right to the Michigan player for a three but thanks to MCW’s length, he stops that play from happening.

*0:16: MCW doesn’t even attempt to contest the shot as he just watches the Michigan player shoot the ball. He does this a lot and it really confuses me.

0:24: After missing out on the rebound, MCW strips the Michigan player and recovers the loose the ball. MCW is excellent with his hands which is a huge asset when you’re that tall.

0:33: I know there are 12 seconds on the shot clock but that is plenty of time to drive in/kick out. Instead, MCW takes the contested three which he almost always misses. MCW needs to be more aggressive and get to the basket.

0:40: Even with him being a guard, MCW still finds a body when the shot is in the air and boxes out which leads to Syracuse getting the rebound. Love players with fundamentals.

0:49: I like MCW taking that shot because it usually goes in. No one is going to make 100% of their shots and plus, MCW had the right of idea of attacking the basket. The refs let a lot of fouls go this game and a lot of the time he gets the foul call.

1:00: MCW gets the called for the blocking foul but that call could have gone either way and I like MCW attempting to take the charge showing he’s not afraid to get hit.

1:08: I kind of understand MCW taking this shot with only 7 seconds left on the shot clock but there are at least two other plays on the court for Syracuse that have a better chance at making that long desperation shot. Can’t knock him for trying though.

1:14: That time he was clearly fouled but it wasn’t called. I like MCW being more aggressive though and trying to get to the basket instead of settling for jumpers. All he needs is that one floater to go to get him going.

1:21: This is what I would have liked to see MCW do the other times the shot clock was going down. He drove in with ease but just didn’t finish at the rim. You can tell that he was having an off day and shots just weren’t falling for him.

1:28: MCW crashes the boards and gets the rebound to get his team into transition. He tries to drive in and kick out but Burke sees it the entire way and is right there when he tries too.

1:39: MCW gets the rebound off the free throw. Having a guard that is also a threat to get rebounds is huge and I can see a lot of triple doubles in his future.

*1:46: MCW just flies right past Burke and the Michigan center for the easy layup. Amazing for someone his size to be that fast.

1:52: The Michigan player tries to drive in for the final shot but MCW just doesn’t allow it. He is great in last shot situations both offensively and defensively. 

The Fan's Mock 2

Every week we have a mock draft where readers get to become the GM of a team and draft for them. If you want to be included in the next mock, please tweet us @ThefansGm or @DecentlyAverage

1. Phoenix Suns select Nerlens Noel Center Kentucky-@THE_TKClutch21

2. Cleveland Cavaliers select Otto Porter Small Forward Georgetown-@ChrisRose48

3. Charlotte Bobcats select Ben McLemore SG Kansas-@TRUE_CAVALIERS

4. Orlando Magic select Trey Burke PG Michigan-@Joe_m543

5. New Orleans Pelicans select Alex Len C Maryland-@TylerIAm

6. Sacramento Kings select Cody Zeller C Indiana-@YOUNGandHUMBLE

7. Detroit Pistons select Victor Oladipo SG Indiana-@Decently Average

8. Washington Wizards select Anthony Bennet PF UNLV-@BenAgent0

9. Minnesota Timberwolves select Shabazz Muhammed SG UCLA 

10. Portland Trail Blazers select C.J. McCollum SG Leigh-@grt2408

11. Philadelphia 76ers select Rudy Gobert C France-@Patrickohanlon 

12. Oklahoma City Thunder select Mason Plumlee PF Duke-@Haynesenberg

13. Dallas Mavericks select Kelly Olynyk C Gonzaga-@mynewhate

14. Utah Jazz select Michael Carter Williams PG Syracuse-@nogoodnamesQQ

Michael Carter Williams vs. Cincinnati Second Half Breakdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZFfv6-kZS0

0:00: I have no idea what MCW is doing. I feel like I’ve typed what about I’m about to say too much but he lacks common sense on this play. The position he is on this shot serves absolutely no purpose. He wasn’t in any passing lanes nor was he contesting the shot. He’s supposed to stay in his zone but common sense has to kick in.

0:07: MCW can have that shot whenever he wants but he continues to miss it. He has to work on his jump shot to translate to the next level.

0:14: MCW is wrongly called for the foul here as he makes the nice play of getting in front of the defender and stripping the ball.

0:22: MCW finally showing aggression towards the basket drives in and gets fouled. Negative things rarely happen when he drives in and he has to do that more.

0:28: I may be kind of reaching here but MCW doesn’t have the best handles in the world and even though this isn’t the best example, you can see he the ball isn’t attached to him like other guards.

0:36: MCW finally knocks down a jumper which he has to start doing more. If he wants the defense to respect his ability to shoot, he first has to get the ability to shoot.

0:41: I love this play because Michael Carter Williams knew he was going to make the three before he even was passed the ball. You can’t really tell the game-flow from the video but everything was going Syracuse’s way which MCW loves. He always carries the momentum for Syracuse and is a very streaky shooter. A shot like this could get him going (Foreshadowing).

0:52: MCW always stays on the defensive side of the floor until his team secures the ball which is the only reason Syracuse got the defensive board as the ball bounces right to him.

0:58: MCW drives in and kicks out to the open shooter but he can’t handle/wasn’t expecting the ball.

1:05: MCW shows off all of his handles on one play as he gets to the corner and makes the incredibly tough jumper. When MCW is on fire he has the ability to make every shot.

1:12: MCW gets his heat check as he shoots it 5 feet or more from the three point line and completely air balls it. It happens to the best of them.

1:22: MCW’s man gets right by him but MCW shows off his crazy athleticism by recovering for the block. The only problem with that is; you’re not going to be able to do that with NBA guards. He needs to work on staying in front of his man.

1:29: MCW doesn’t even make an effort to contest the shot as he casually walks away despite the man shooting being 3 feet away from. Could he have affected the shot? Probably not. But it would have been nice to see him make an effort too.

1:36: MCW drives in and quickly rises for the floater. If he can continue to work on that little floater and make that a weapon, defenders are going to have problems.

1:42: MCW is just plain clutch. He always makes the big shot when his team needs it and has the clutch gene which is a huge asset in the NBA.

0:14: With the game on the line, MCW saves his great defense for last as he stays in front of the opposing guard and forces him to take the fade-away three pointer which badly misses. 

Michael Carter Williams vs. Cincinnati First Half Breakdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NW1vnM-AsQ

0:00: I like MCW coming out firing and trying to start the game with a spark and even though he’s been struggling with his shot, if you give a guard over 5 feet of space, he’s going to shoot. MCW just didn’t hit it. His shot has to be the number 1 thing he needs to work on this summer.

0:09: MCW gets the nice rebound and goes into transition where he is at his best. He makes the right decision of going for the ally oop but the pass had to be perfect to get it and his wasn’t.

0:22: MCW plays absolutely perfect defense here staying in front of the Cincinnati guards the entire play and not letting them create anything forcing an awful shot.

0:39: MCW sees that the Cincinnati defense just doesn’t see the open man in the corner and hits him for the open three. MCW wasted no time getting the ball to him and cashed in on the rare opportunity.

*0:45: Once again MCW just doesn’t show common sense. Yes, he is supposed to be responsible for the left side of the court but when a shooter on the right side is wide open and he has the opportunity to contest the shot, he has to do it. Luckily, the Cincinnati player missed the shot so no harm done.

0:54: Once again a great defensive possession by MCW forcing a bad shot as the shot clock expires.

1:06: Great anticipation by MCW to get the steal and uses every bit of his incredible length to poke the ball away. He then makes the great decision to hit his teammate who is ahead of him for the layup.

1:17: MCW’s man does get by him but he recovers nicely for the incredible block showing just how athletic MCW is.

1:25: That’s exactly what MCW needs to do more. Penetrate the defense, then kick out to the open man for the three. He does miss but MCW is right there for the offensive board.

1:33: MCW tries to do the same thing again but gets called for the travel. I think he was fouled which forced the travel but you could’ve called either one.

1:39: MCW gets the nice rebound, then noticing he doesn’t have numbers, holds up and waits for the trailing shooter.

1:49: Once again, MCW misses the three. I don’t blame him for taking the shot but he needs to start hitting them. I don’t see any differences in his shot consistency from this game all the way to the Louisville game over a month later.

1:54: MCW loses track of his man who gets right by him but blows the lay-up. Once again, no harm done but NBA players are going to be much quicker than that Cincinnati player and are going to make that layup.

2:01: MCW penetrates the defense and hits the open shooter who misses. MCW should’ve had at least 2 more assists this half. MCW then knocks the ball out almost starting the fast break but Cincinnati is able to recover. And no annoying analyst that made false statement the entire game, that wasn’t a foul.

*2:17: After you get through hearing the horrible analyst’s awful joke, MCW drags the defender away from his teammate then hits him for the easy jump shot. MCW seems to do this a lot and it works more than you would expect.

*2:26: Oh no MCW. Oh no. The Cincinnati guard makes MCW look like a fool as he first picks his pocket, then fakes the pass which spins MCW all the way around giving him the open three which he does miss.

02:36: Once again, MCW’s man gets right past him but misses the open shot. MCW’s worst enemy is defending the jump stop which he had problems with all season.

*2:45: And MCW just dunked on the entire state of Cincinnati. If you don’t believe how insanely athletic MCW is, just keep watching this play. 

The Fan's GM Round Table: Michael Carter Williams

Chase Fitzgerald(@DecentlyAverage) and Skyler Gilbert(@SkylerJGilbert) sat down and answered some questions about Michael Carter Williams.

Favorite part of his game:
Skyler: I love his size and athleticism. Getting a point guard that is 6'6" is a rarity to begin with, but to get one that size with the quickness MCW also has? That's something special. In a league ruled by freak athletes, Carter-Williams will fit right in. He'll be spectacular on the fast break and a match-up problem for almost any defense.

Chase: Easily my favorite part is him in transition. He never seems to make a bad pass and always makes the right decision. If he is one the run and has numbers, it’s almost a guaranteed basket. It’s the closest thing to basketball porn you will find.

Least favorite part:
Skyler: At some point he's going to need to develop a jumper. Several passing point guards have been drafted without a decent jumper. The difference between the guys that succeed in the league and those who don't is whether or not they develop a jumper. Look at Jason Kidd. When he came into the league he couldn't buy an outside shot. Now he's hit the third most threes in NBA history and is a sure thing hall-of-famer. Rajon Rondo was one-dimensional for the first three seasons of his career. Defenses played way off of him, daring to shoot the outside jumper. Many times, he fell into their ploy and shot the jumper they gave him. He adjusted too. Before tearing his ACL this past season, Rondo had been shooting 48 percent from mid-range (one of the best marks in the league). Although Carter-Williams' shooting is a concern, it is something that can be fixed. With that said, it is my least favorite part of his game at the moment.

Chase: My least favorite part is his defense in general. I know it’s difficult to judge him because of the zone defense he plays in but you can tell at times he is completely lost. I know he is supposed to stay in his area but at some point common sense has to take over. If you are in your zone with no one within 10 feet of you, move. He tends to make himself a non factor on defense at times but he can fix this. He is freakishly athletic and has the potential to be an excellent defender but he has to defeat the mental part first. Also a close second is how unaggressive he is. Like Skyler said, he takes the jumper they give him instead of attacking the basket. Pretty much any time he attacks the basket good things happen. He’s long and quick enough that he can easily shoot over the smaller guard guarding him and he has to use that ability much more.

Does he have all-star potential?

Skyler: Absolutely. I think his upside mirrors that of Rajon Rondo. An absolutely gifted passer, a pterodactylian wingspan, and goes for chances and lots of steals on defense. And Rondo's an all-star, right? 

Chase: MCW probably has one of the highest upsides in the draft. He first has to develop a reliable jumper like Skyler said but the potential is more than there.

Lowest/highest you could see him getting drafted?

Skyler: Well... he's trending upward. When Marcus Smart decided to go back to school, he became the top pure point guard on the board (many see Trey Burke as a shooting guard on the next level). I'd put his draft stock between 6 and 14. Syracuse players tend to get picked earlier than they are projected to go. The Kings could reach for him to improve backcourt speed and athleticism (they allowed the most fastbreak points against in the whole NBA last season). He won't get past Utah at 14, though. They are the most desperate team in the NBA for a PG and would gladly swoop him up if he fell that far.

Chase: He won’t get past the Thunder at 12, I know that for sure. This is becoming a point guard dominated league so teams may end up reaching for a point guard or, a surprise team could jump into the top-5 who likes MCW a lot and take him. There will be a more specific answer to this question after the lottery.

What team is the best fit?

Skyler: Oklahoma City will likely hold the 12 spot in the draft and Michael Carter-Williams is really the perfect back-up for Russell Westbrook. Both are big athletic point guards. Westbrook was similar to MCW when he first came into the league with the Sonics and could help him polish his scoring ability. Also, the Thunder are a bit short on athleticism coming off the bench. None out of Derek Fisher, Kevin Martin and Nick Collison play at a fast pace. It would help OKC greatly if they could have that kind of player to take the court and compete with some of the fast-paced second units of other teams.

Chase: I like OKC too. MCW to the Thunder would put them at a whole new level. They would have a crazy athletic point guard to back up the crazy athletic Russell Westbrook and just make it not fair for other teams. Imagine a MCW fast break with Durant and Westbrook. As a non Heat fan this brings a tear of joy to my eye.

Bust potential?

Skyler: Absolutely. Point guard is one of the easiest positions to find adequate back-ups for in the whole NBA. Michael Carter-Williams will be on a pretty short string. If he has a rough rookie season and gets demoted to the D-League, who knows? He may never see an NBA court again.

Chase: He has a lot of bust potential which is what’s holding him back from being drafted higher. He is a very raw prospect and could always flop. There is always that chance that he never gets the mental part of defense, or never develops a jump shot. Almost every prospect has a risk factor but MCW’s is especially high.