Utah Jazz: 2017 NBA Draft grades
By Adam Coffman
No. 55 — Nigel Williams-Goss
Late second round picks rarely convey themselves into NBA talent, but the rewards can be astronomical if a player happens to turn into a competent asset.
After transferring to Gonzaga, Nigel Williams-Goss became the starting point guard on a team that went all the way to the NCAA title game. A former McDonald’s All-American, the 22-year-old averaged 16.8 points and 4.7 assists per game on 53 percent shooting from the floor.
He has the size (6’3″) and skills (37 percent three-point shooing) to play either guard spot, although his NBA game will depend more on his ability to create off the dribble against superior athletes.
He will run into some depth chart crunch on the Jazz, with George Hill, Dante Exum, Raul Neto and Mitchell all potentially lined up to get minutes before him.
Like Marcus Paige, the former North Carolina point guard whom the Jazz took 52nd overall in last year’s draft, there’s a good chance that Williams-Goss won’t even appear in a Jazz jersey past training camp.
There were some higher-upside plays left on the board at 55, but the Jazz still got a solid playmaker with their last selection.
Grade: C