CBS SportsC Robert Williams, Texas A&M sophomore
The Celtics get the defensive-minded, elite-rebounding big man they needed. He's a great athlete who can defend in a lot of styles. Could he be the American Clint Capela? The "steal of the draft" label could be his.
Grade: A+https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2018-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-results-tracker-analysis-for-first-and-second-rounds/Yahoo:
Boston Celtics:
ABoston got a super talent at No. 27 in Robert Williams, whom many feel had lottery talent. Williams is a strong rebounder with soft hands and has some Clint Capela to his game in terms of shot-blocking and rim-running ability. Questions about his motor and desire are why he slipped in the first round.
Sporting News:
AThe Celtics attempted to trade up into the top five in hopes of landing a young big man to develop, and instead, young developable big man Robert Williams fell to Boston at No. 27. This is a guy who was projected to go from pick Nos. 11-15.
It’s the kind of lucky draft-day break the Celtics would get when Red Auerbach was running the team, which might explain why, when Danny Ainge emerged from the team’s war room, he was two inches shorter, lost three inches off his hairline and sounded like Peter Falk when he spoke.
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-draft-2018-grades-picks-results-cavs-celtics-warriors-suns-kings-mavericks/i7rqmywdcnm31oem4usn37nrpSteve Alexander,
Rotoworld: AThey only got one player, but it was C Robert Williams (27) and many people, including me, are calling him the potential steal of the draft. And with Greg Monroe and Aron Baynes unrestricted free agents, the Celtics met a need without screwing up an already great team. Bravo.
SB Nation:27. Boston Celtics - Robert Williams, C, Texas A&M
Grade: AThis is wild. Williams is a lottery-level talent as a shot blocker and rim runner in the vein of Clint Capela. He already has NBA-level strength and can jump out of the gym. Incredible value for Boston. How do they always pull this off?
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/6/21/17489496/nba-draft-2018-grades-round-1The Ringer: gave us highest grade after pick 19 (A):
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/21/17490094/grading-the-2018-nba-draft27. Boston Celtics: Robert Williams, PF/C, Texas A&M
It will be interesting to see whether off-court or medical concerns contributed to Williams’s slide, because there’s no reason for a player this talented to be available near the end of the first round. Williams is as physically gifted as any of the big men who went in the top 10. He’s an über-athletic 6-foot-9 big who could stay in front of even the fastest point guards. He’s not particularly skilled on offense, but he shouldn’t have to do much beyond set screens and catch lobs in Boston.
Grade: AJeremy Woo,
Sports Illustrated: B+This is great value for the Celtics, who might be getting a starting-caliber talent and do a good job developing players. Many teams were scared off by Williams due to concerns about his maturity and the interview process—there was a sense he’d fall, but perhaps not this far. Someone else’s risky investment is now a terrific flier for Boston here, and the Celtics will give him a strong environment in which to succeed.
USA Today: gave us the highest grade after pick 20 (B):
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2018-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-results-tracker-analysis-for-first-and-second-rounds/27. Boston Celtics - Robert Williams, Texas A&M
Williams is a tantalizing prospect with his size and athleticism, but the reason he nearly fell out of the first round is because there are questions about his work ethic. If he brings the same effort each night, he could be a nightmare on pick-and-roll lobs from Kyrie Irving. A lottery-level talent, he's worth a shot at this point.
Grade: (B)