Texas A&M Basketball: Robert Williams not here for your Clint Capela comparison
By Jeff Shull
Texas A&M basketball forward Robert Williams is being compared to Clint Capela entering the 2018 NBA Draft, but he doesn’t like that comparison.
When Texas A&M basketball’s Robert Williams dominated the first two games of the Aggies’ run to the Sweet 16, he reminded NBA scouts why they had fallen in love with the big man during his freshman campaign a year earlier.
Not only is Williams a sponge for rebounds and would likely be one of the best rim protectors in the league already as a rookie, but he also has incredible athleticism that would allow him to beat teams with the pick n’ roll and also defend smaller guys on switches.
For all intents and purposes, he is seen as a more athletic Clint Capela.
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This should be a compliment. Capela emerged as one of the best centers in the NBA this season. While the NBA is trending more towards needing five guys on the court who can shoot from long range, the Houston Rockets proved they had the right personnel to utilize a player with Capela’s strengths.
He runs the floor as well as any big man in the league. He defends the paint. He grabs rebounds. He blocks shots. His best attribute might be having the ability to switch onto guards and not get beat off the dribble. Admittedly, Williams has many similarities to Capela.
This includes their weaknesses. Neither player is a good shooter, although Williams’ offensive game might be a little more polished.
During the playoffs, Mike D’Antoni admitted they never run plays for Capela. He mostly scores on pick n’ roll lobs from James Harden or Chris Paul and any offensive rebounds he cleans up. Both Williams and Capela have their troubles at the free throw line.
Perhaps this is why Williams tried to distance himself from those Capela comparisons.
“I watched [Capela], he’s a great player, but I just feel like everyone is different,” Williams told the Washington Post. “I don’t think you can compare me to him.”
Capela is who he is. He’s not going to develop a jump shot after a few years in the league. The Rockets deemed him essentially unplayable late in games against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
Williams, while it is also quite unlikely he develops a good enough jumper to break the stigma, is still young and can work to improve it. He also clearly wants to show teams he has confidence in himself and doesn’t want to limit his potential by giving himself a ceiling.
Capela proved to be an essential component to the Rockets’ success this season. Williams should welcome comparisons to one of the best big men in the league, but you can certainly see reasons for making a comment such as he did.
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The NBA Draft is Thursday night, and Williams should see his name called in the top 15 or 16 picks. He would be the first Aggie since Acie Law IV in 2007 to be drafted in the first round.
Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.