In honor of Pete’s INCREDIBLE ClockBlocker image of the Time Lord himself, Robert Williams III, let’s take a look at the young Boston Celtics player.
(First, according to his Basketball-Reference.com page, Bob Williams three has two nicknames, Time Lord and Boo Butt. I don’t know if ClockBlocker can best either of those as a nickname, and, honestly, I’d rather have announcers talking about a great Boo Butt rebound than a timely Time Lord tip in or a last-second-attempt clock block.)
Robert Williams is 23-years-old, he’s in his third season, and he has a 7’6” wingspan, which is like saying that his arms are literally airplane wings. He is currently, prior to Monday night’s games, a top 100 player in fantasy basketball. Boo Butt’s 55% rostered in ESPN leagues and he’s been the 81st best player in basic. He’s less rostered, and has been more valuable, than Evan Fournier (76% rostered, outside the top 150), Steven Adams (77% rostered, ditto 150+ on the player rater for all these guys), Eric Bledsoe (64%), Lauri Markkanen (79%), and Devonte’ Graham (75%).
On the season, Williams is averaging 7+ points per game, 6+ rebounds per game, 1+ assist per game, 1.7 BLOCKS per game (!!!), and he’s shooting 72% from the floor. He’s tied for 7th in blocks per game with Jarrett Allen, who’s several inches taller than the Time Lord. There are 32 players with at least 39 blocks so far this season. Every one of those 32 players has played at least 700 total minutes, EXCEPT for the Time Lord who’s played in less than 600 total minutes. Again, he has the 7th most total blocks. The player with the sixth most blocks, Jarrett Allen again, has played over 1,100 minutes. That’s some nice elite production in a counting stat.
Over the past month Williams’s numbers are even better: 9+ PPG, 8+ RPG, 2+ APG, 72 FG%, 2.5 blocks per game. Only 15 players can match or exceed those numbers on the season. Mason Plumlee is probably the closest comparison, as he’s averaged 10+ PPG, 9+ RPG, and 3+ APG for the season, along with a 60 FG% and nearly a block per game. Plumlee is 82% rostered in ESPN leagues. Also, Plumlee’s averaging 27+ minutes per game on the season. Time Lord is averaging 19 MPG during this hot stretch! If you gave Williams eight more minutes per game, his production would skyrocket. His per-36 numbers are 16 points and 13 boards, by the way. Double-doubles are fantasy gold, and that’s without considering Williams’s elite blocks and ratios.
I don’t know if Williams can keep blocking 2.5 shots per game, but it seems like his numbers continue to climb along with his minutes. He’s an integral piece of this Celtics squad: he has the fifth most total minutes since February 21st, and he’s taken the fifth most shots.
He’s also one of only 10 players in NBA league history to do this:
Robert Williams just became the 10th player in NBA history to record at least 16 points and 13 rebounds in a game while playing fewer than 20 minutes. pic.twitter.com/15pv25LOQE
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) March 15, 2021
Feels like a good sign to me.
The ClockBlocker needs more reps, but his trajectory is clearly ascendant. He’s a great young player to target in dynasty leagues, and Sweet Christmas, he may end the year as a top 75 player if his minutes continue to climb. If Boston doesn’t make a trade to strengthen their front court by the deadline this Thursday, you may start to see a lot more of the Time Lord. Pick him up while you can.