School: Syracuse   NBA Pos: PG   HT/WT: 6'6" / 185 lbs   Class: Sophomore

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Summary

Michael Carter Williams is a 6’6” Sophomore running point guard for Syracuse. After playing sparingly behind Scoop Jardine and Dion Waiters (NBA, Cleveland Cavilers) in the 2011-2012 campaign, Carter-Williams has taken over the reins for the Orangemen and developed into one of the top point prospects in the nation. He is a Bob Cousy award nominee as one of the nation’s top point guards and will be in the running for many of the Big East Conference post season awards.

Strengths

• Outstanding size and length for the position
• Great vision
• Penetration
• Defense

Areas of Improvement

• Strength
• Outside shooting
• Decision Making

Highlights

Interview

NBA Comparison

Shaun Livingston / Grevis Vasquez

UsportsHub Projection

In a short amount of time, Michael Carter-Williams has blossomed into one of the best point guard prospects in the nation. At 6’6”, he posses the height and court awareness that NBA scouts love. He is highly effective in a pick-and-roll situation at the college level and is always aware of where the open man is on the court. As he goes, so does this year’s Syracuse Orangeman team. He has the ability to get to the basket and finish over larger opponents. Possessing a crafty handle, Carter-Williams is dynamic in changing gears in order to beat opponents off the dribble. Defensively he is solid and knows how to use his wingspan to close passing lanes and harass the ball-handler. As a result, he averages nearly 3.0 steals per game.

The greatest area where Carter-Williams needs to improve is in his outside shooting. At the time of this evaluation he is shooting just 28% from three and 38 % from the field. NBA defenses will play him underneath the screen in pick-and-roll situations forcing him to shoot from the outside. Adding a credible outside shot to his arsenal could take him from being a good player to very good. At 6’6” 185 lbs, he is going to have to get stronger to withstand the rigors of the NBA. Being quicker to recognize how defenses are playing him and not leaving his feet when he makes a pass are quick improvements that will cut down on his turnovers.

Carter-Williams is on a lot of general managers' wish list. A tall, rangy pass-first point guard that also possessing some scoring ability is hard to find. Just a sophomore, his ceiling as a player is much higher. His vision and ability to run the pick-and-roll are ideally suited for the NBA game. If he can develop an outside shot he could be a very good player. If he comes out in 2013, he will likely go somewhere in the latter part of the lottery.

Our Approach

The UsportsHub team consists of former college basketball players, coaches, and independent talent evaluators that are able to make NBA draft prospect observations based upon first-hand basketball experience. Our Draft profiles are built using a collection of insight from our official team and extended network. See our Team Roster and Advisory Board for more information on our team.

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