Day one of the 2025 NBA Draft is already in the books, and the New York Knicks have yet to make a selection. The Knicks have the No. 50 overall pick and will be drafting in tonight’s second round.
According to NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor, the Knicks are likely to select Kentucky big man Amari Williams.
“Williams is a massive, smart-passing center with good instincts around the rim and legitimate size to defend the paint, but he needs to add perimeter mobility to defend the modern game,” O’Connor said.
Williams played four seasons at Drexel before transferring to Kentucky for his final collegiate season. In his one season with the Wildcats, Williams averaged 10.9 points per game, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He also shot 56.1 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range.
During his time at Drexel, Williams was a three-time Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Defensive Player of the Year from 2022-24.
Williams has the height to be a successful NBA player, standing at seven feet tall, and his defense was impressive during his one season at Kentucky. There are, however, some concerns about Williams as an NBA prospect, one being his age. At 23 years old, Williams is one of the oldest prospects in this year’s draft class.
His experience, however, could be a good sign for the Knicks. The Knicks are also in need of adding another big man to their roster after trading Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks last season. With that being said, Williams could be a good selection for a Knicks team that only has one draft pick this year.