Elliot Williams, SG

An explosive athlete who plays with gears normally found in a race car, Williams came into his own as the major scoring option for the Tigers last season. After being buried on the bench during his freshman campaign at Duke, Williams left the school and transferred to Memphis. He received an NCAA waiver last August to play immediately for the Tigers in 2009-10.

What Memphis received was a player with tremendous ability to accelerate to the basket.

After averaging 4.2 points per game for the Blue Devils, he exploded at an 18.2-point clip for the Tigers last year, thanks to a vastly improved perimeter shot (made 37.3% of his three-pointers at Memphis, compared to 25.0% the previous season).

With most gunslingers, offense is usually the name of the game and the word defense is not in their vocabulary. That is what makes Williams special, at least where NBA general managers drafting in the first round should be concerned. Even with his lanky frame, he has established himself as one of the best on-ball defenders in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Recruiters began to take notice of Williams' scoring ability during his sophomore season at St. George's Independent School. The three-year starter would go on to earn Parade and McDonald's All-American honors. He was named the 2008 Division II-A Mr. Basketball and was a Tennessee All-State selection following his junior and senior seasons.

He was rated the 16th-best player in the country and the third-best shooting guard by Scout.com. ESPN rated him sixth among the prep shooting guards and 18th overall. The three-time All-District performer averaged 24.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, while leading St. George's to a 24-3 record as a senior.

During his junior campaign, Williams produced averages of 25.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. That helped lead St. George's to a 24-6 record and the state championship game. In his first year as a starter, he scored 26.2 points per game, as he also averaged 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

After his senior season, Williams played for the 2008 McDonald's All-American team. He was one of four players who scored in double figures for the East squad, as he finished with 10 points, two rebounds and an assist in the East's 107-102 win.

Williams enrolled at Duke University for the 2008-09 season. He saw action in 34 of the team's 37 games. After languishing on the bench for most of the first half, he was inserted into the lineup for 12 late-season games and provided a much needed spark for a struggling offense. His late-season emergence was one of the reasons the Blue Devils won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and reached the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament.

Williams would go on to shoot 44.1% from the floor, 25.0% from the three-point line and 50.0% from the free throw line, finishing with averages of 4.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. After the season, Williams asked for a release from the university due to unspecified family medical reasons.

"We fully support him in his efforts to be closer to (his family) during this trying time," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He is a good young man with an opportunity to become an outstanding player. We wish him well as he determines his future. He will always be a part of our program and we will always be in his corner."

Granted a waiver from the NCAA so that he could play immediately rather than sit out the 2009-10 season due to transfer rules, he emerged as an elite performer for the Tigers. Williams scored 599 points behind 46.9% shooting from the field, 37.3% from three-point range and 76.6% from the charity stripe. He collected 134 rebounds, handed out 124 assists and had 42 steals, on the way to earning Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors.

On April 13, Williams announced he was entering his name into the 2010 NBA Draft and would forego his two years of college eligibility. "I am declaring for the NBA Draft today," said Williams. "It's been a long process. I've talked with my parents, my brother and the coaching staff, and everyone feels this is the best decision for me. Coach (Josh) Pastner and his staff did a great job preparing me, and I feel this is the time to pursue my dream to play in the NBA."

"I am happy with my decision, but it was a hard one. I took several things into account such being around my family, playing for Coach Pastner, developing relationships with the assistant coaches and playing in front of the best fans in the country. It was a hard decision, but with the support of my family and coaches, I can pursue my dream of playing in the NBA."

"Elliot is obviously a really good player," said Pastner. "With what he did for us this year, helping us win 24 games was, in large part, due to him and his play. With Elliot, you can go on and on about his talent and what he brings to the court, but even more than that, Elliot is an unbelievable young man. I've told many people in the city of Memphis that if their son or daughter is looking for a role model, there's no one better to use as a role model than Elliot."

"One of the things you talk about when discussing Elliot's opportunities in the NBA is his character. That is what separates Elliot from a lot of players. I know that a player's character is a quality that NBA teams value. Elliot's a really good player and a really good person. We're ecstatic for Elliot. It's an unbelievable opportunity for him, a lifelong dream of his. He's going to be a first-round pick, and he's going to be great at the next level. We're going to do everything we can to help him. This is a great day for Tiger basketball and Tiger fans, and it's a special day for Elliot and his family."

Positives: Has a rail-thin frame and will need to bulk up to compete at the off-guard position at the next level, but has explosive court speed, great balance and long limbs with excellent elevation getting off his mid-range jumper … High energy type who might lack great ball handling skills, but has more than enough burst and quickness to push the ball up on the fast break … Times his leaps well and has the array of moves (spin, fakes, hesitations) to force the defender to commit early before firing off his jumper … Drives to the basket with very good suddenness and has shown the ability to not only draw contact, but has made marked improvement with his release point and shooting form to convert those fouls at the charity stripe … Has very good court vision, especially when trying to disrupt the opponent in the lanes and shows the lateral quickness to stay in front of the opponent in attempts to alter his man's shot … Left unprotected on the open court, he will simply kill an opponent with his spot-ups (excels in space) … Has a good hop in his step and can quickly recover when he out-pursues a play … Plays with a low center of gravity and uses his long arms well to try to take his man off the dribble … Even with that light frame, he shows fearlessness weaving through traffic to finish at the basket … Has also shown good arm extension and a strong concept for angling when going up for a rebound vs. bigger men … Despite his lanky frame, he gets good leg drive and elevation driving through forwards and centers to finish at the rim … Has the court vision to play a few minutes at the point (needs better ball security, though) and has the explosiveness, along with the ability to pull up, set his feet and fire … His lateral agility lets his stay in front of the perimeter shooters on pressure defense situations … Fluid and smooth when elevating and gliding in the air, drawing contact to get to the free throw line, where he has a quick, high release … Has the balance needed in attempts to beat the press and quick with the one-bounce pass to an open teammate … Gets most of his separation during drives with his good concept for using screens … Fills the lane quickly on the fast break and is the type who never tires going up and down the court (called an energizer bunny) … Because of his wingspan, he is capable of defending vs. some forwards and his ability to read the passing lanes and reach around his opponent gives him good success in attempts to steal the ball off the dribble … When slashing to the basket, he shows quick lateral moves, especially to his left side (can be a bit predictable, as this southpaw does favor his left side too much) … Has developed a nice reverse layup that he utilizes mostly on his drives and can fool the defender with his ability to switch hands on the ball in flight … Pumps the ball in quickly, thanks to his smooth release … With the high elevation he gets from his above average vertical jump, along with his long wingspan, he is a valid contributor going for the rebound.

Negatives: A February right knee injury might need further medical evaluation, especially after Williams was a late scratch from attending the Chicago pre-draft camp after he injured his knee in a workout prior to the event ("Elliot banged knees with another player and stayed in L.A. to rehab," said his agent. "It's nothing too serious and he should be back in action by the end of the month.") … Showed marked improvement with his perimeter shot at Memphis, after it all but abandoned him during his freshman season at Duke, but he needs to be more creative as a shooter, as has obvious difficulties going to his right, especially off the dribble … Has a rail-thin frame and will need to add bulk for the next level, as he won't be able to match up to the more physical off-guards and wings otherwise … Built more in the lines of a point guard, but despite his 128 assists last year he is really not a great ball facilitator, a requirement for any NBA point performer … Those ball handling deficiencies and loose handle result in a high amount of turnovers (100 in 2009-10) … Even with the strides he made shooting from the perimeter, he does not appear comfortable shooting from that range and will get into a rhythm where he will lunge forward rather than set his feet before shooting … Has become very reliant on his left-side lay-ups and must work on developing more consistent spin moves to go to his right more often … Not great keeping the ball on the floor for too long and has just adequate hands, struggling to convert from catch-&-shoot situations … Can get out of control at times and must learn to vary the tempo of the game if he is hoping to gain extra minutes on the court at the point.

Compares To: MANU GINOBILI, San Antonio -- Yes, Ginobili is taller and has a thicker frame than Williams, but both are outstanding slashers with that soft touch and very quick release, making them valid gunslingers. Unless Williams can prove he can play the point, he will be better served as a combo type coming off the bench. The thing about him is that he's not like most gunslingers, as he also takes pride in his defensive abilities. He's a pesky type that has the court vision and long limbs to create nightmares for smaller opposing shooters. Simply put, he's an ideal complementary piece for an established team, as he can provide relief minutes at both guard positions, but right now I would not advise giving him too many minutes running the offense.

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

All-American third-team and All-Conference USA first-team selection by The NBA Draft Report … Added C-USA first-team honors from The Sporting News … United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District IV pick and a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District XI first-team selection … Named the league's Newcomer of the Year … Led the team and ranked second in the league in scoring (17.9 ppg), finishing ninth in the conference in assists (3.8 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (124 assists/100 turnovers), 10th in three-point field goal percentage (36.6) and 12th in free throw percentage (75.8) … His 610 points scored are the second-highest season output by a Tiger behind Elliot Perry's 620 in 1988-89 … Made 178 of 388 field goals, 60 of 164 three-point shots and connected on 194 of 256 free throws … His 194 successful shots from the foul line rank fourth on the school season-record list … Pulled down 135 rebounds and had 45 steals … Named Conference USA Rookie of the Week four times and C-USA Player of the Week once … Scored in double figures in 32 games, reaching 20 points or better 16 times, including a stretch of seven consecutive games early in the schedule … His 16 20-point performances are the fourth-most in a season by a Tigers player.

Williams appeared in a total of 68 games during his collegiate career, starting 12 times at Duke and 34 times at Memphis … Combined, he scored 754 points (11.1 ppg) on 234 of 515 field goals (45.4%), 69 of 200 three-pointers (34.5%) and 217 of 302 free throws (71.9%) … Logged a total of 1,696 minutes of action, as he doled out 151 assists (2.2 apg) and had 66 steals with five blocked shots … Also collected 212 rebounds (2.1 rpg) … Made eight three-point field goals vs. Southern Mississippi in 2010, the second-best game total in Memphis annals, topped by Roburt Sallie (10 vs. Cal State Northridge, 3/19/09) … Made 194 free throws for the Tigers last year, the fourth-best season total in school history behind Win Wilfong (221, 1956-57), Larry Finch (209, 1972-73) and Perry (192, 1988-89) … His 610 points scored in 2009-10 are the second-highest season total by a Tiger behind Perry's 620 in 1988-89.

SUMMER LEAGUE: After his senior season, Williams played for the 2008 McDonald's All-American team … Was one of four players who scored in double figures for the East squad, as he finished with 10 points, two rebounds and an assist in the East's 107-102 win.

Attended St. George's Independent (Collierville, Tenn.) School, lettering three times in basketball for head coach Jeff Ruffin … Earned Parade and McDonald's All-American honors … Named the 2008 Division II-A Mr. Basketball and was a Tennessee All-State selection following his junior and senior seasons … Rated the 16th-best player in the country and the third-best shooting guard by Scout.com … ESPN rated him sixth among the prep shooting guards and 18th overall … The three-time All-District performer averaged 24.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, while leading St. George's to a 24-3 record as a senior … During his junior campaign, Williams produced averages of 25.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game … That helped lead St. George's to a 24-6 record and the state championship game … In his first year as a starter, he scored 26.2 points per game, as he also averaged 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists … Earned Academic All-State honors in 2006 and '07.

General Studies major … Son of Delois and Mexwayne Williams … Born Elliot Jerell Williams on 6/20/89 … Resides in Memphis.