Caleb Williams Player Evaluation

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Caleb Williams

Sidwell Friends School (DC)

Team Takeover (Nike EYBL)

Class

2024

Height

6'7"

Weight

~210 lbs

Position

W/F

Wingspan

6'8"

Level

High Major

August 2022

Statistical Sample from 2021-22 (High School & EYBL)

Full Stats from All Nike EYBL Sessions (21 Games)

Physical/Athleticism

Possesses ideal size on the wing at 6’7”, ~210 lbs., with enough size to adjust roles to function more so as a combo forward at the prep level
Owns good functional strength in his upper and lower body that allows him to compete on the inside, while creating advantages against perimeter players
- A finesse player who’s also capable of playing with some force
- Boasts a frame that should support increases in strength and muscle mass as he continues to mature
Adequate length, with a 6’8” (+1) wingspan
What he lacks in eye-popping explosiveness, he makes up for with intelligence and feel for the game
- Most explosive as a leaper off of one foot. Finishes well above the rim off of one or two feet as a finisher in the open court, on the drive in the half court, or from the dunker spot.

Effective first step
Smooth and agile
- Deliberate, forceful movements
Strong endurance
Good hand-eye coordination
Steady balance
Healthy motor on both ends

Other Offensive Qualities

Offensive Qualities

Superior fundamentals serve as the foundation of a versatile offensive skillset, and propel his increasingly polished triple threat abilities to score, distribute, and functionally put it on the floor
A mature, high-feel approach blends seamlessly with this skillset, and is a primary component to his efficacy
- Has an advanced understanding of the nuances of the game
Doesn’t allow the defense to speed him up; moves at his own pace
- Consistently practices patience with the ball and rarely rushes decisions
Impacts the game within the flow of the game and within the confines of the system/ offensive concepts being
Affects winning in a variety of ways. Able to assume and excel in different roles according to the needs of the team.
- Owns an adaptable, flexible offensive game that permits him to fit with various personnel groups and offensive systems/concepts
- For example, with Sidwell Friends, he functions slightly more as an impetus for offensive creation from the low and mid-post areas, as well as from the perimeter; but gets out and runs in transition less often. With Team Takeover, who has a slew of advantage creating guards, he adjusts to more of a floor spacing catch-and-shooter who attacks closeouts in the half court; while serving as a finisher who runs the floor in transition.
Possesses a smooth, patient scoring approach, allowing the game to come to him, while being strategically aggressive with his touches in specific spots or situations
- Not afraid to play the simple game. Takes advantage of what the defense gives him, but can also create his own advantages.
Size, fluidity, and skillset make for a difficult matchup for opponents. Very comfortable operating with his back to the basket.
Highly capable three-level scorer. Let’s take a look at his scoring approach from each level.
Excels as a spot-up shooter from 3, serving as a valuable floor spacer who can reliably shoot it well from around the arc (3-point shooting is broken down into great detail in the “Shooting” section)

Comprehension of spacing helps to create passing and driving lanes for teammates
Shoots it well off the shuffle

Showed struggles off of movement, but flashes his potential for future development
- Comfortable shooting off movement. Shots just didn’t drop.

Attempts off the dribble are rare, but there are glimpses that bode well for the future

Will also catch, face, and measure before pulling the trigger

Legitimate mid-range game that is the most versatile weapon in his offensive arsenal, in that it is set up in several different ways
- Leverages his 3-point shooting into one and two-dribble pull-ups
- Attacks closeouts with decisiveness, an effective shot fake, and a skilled jab-step series

Cutting to the open areas and off of screens without the ball to shoot on the catch
- Feels the defender(s) as he catches, recognizes where he is on the court, and always knows where the basket is
- Will catch around the 15-16 foot area on the flash with his back still to the basket, turn, and shoot in a series of continuous movements

Operating out of the mid-post, as a scorer, he uses a smooth turnaround/fallaway jumper, usually over the right shoulder
- Prefers to operate on the left wing area
- Likes to open up to see the court while keeping his body between the ball and his man. This aids his playmaking efforts from here.
- Utilizes a combination of patience and judgment of the defender’s body weight to set up the shot. Often leads with the shoulder he eventually shoots over to create space for the attempt.
- Exhibits sound footwork
- Has a nice catch, face, and shoot sequence he likes to go to (i.e. reverse pivot into the jumper)

Intelligently counters on-ball defenders with change of direction dribbles to set up pull-up jumpers from the 15 foot-and-in range
- Counters at his own pace
- Shows a nice feel and understanding of how to use the defender’s momentum to his own advantage. Also exhibits good spatial awareness of his proximity to the on-ball defender, as well as help side positioning.
- Likes to counter with the spin and create additional space by adding a short stepback afterwards
- Will also counter being cutoff with a quick behind-the-back in the opposite direction

Although he struggled a bit on his conversion rate, he displayed a real knack for getting to spots in the short mid-range area throughout the year. He was consistently able to get into the 8-12 foot range off the bounce and then use his size, length, feel for the defender, and high release to get quality looks.

Has some difficulty creating separation off the bounce, which can result in contested turnaround jumpers. However, those jumpers are typically within 15 feet, and are makeable shots for him. Also, if he gets the opportunity to turn the corner, he is able to use his off shoulder and hip to keep the defense at bay. Again, his feel and use of his body allow him to handle the lack of separation at the time of the shot attempt.
- Will also drive that off shoulder into the chest of the defender to push them back and create separation without fouling, setting up the pull-up
- This is an area that he has two more years of development to improve upon before the next level

Due to adjusted roles, his rim pressure lighter during EYBL play and heavier during the high school season. Overall, it’s primarily driven by:
- Attacking closeouts with straight-line drives. Again, leveraging his threat from 3.

Direct moves off the live dribble
- Prefers to drive left

Using the counters mentioned above to get all the way to the rim
Capable traditional post play. Again, he’s very comfortable working with his back to the basket.
- Uses sound technique to establish position, with emphasis on the use of his backside and elbows to corral and seal the defender
- Most effective on the right block
- Prefers to turn middle, whether he is operating from the right or the left block
- Gets into the body of the defender when he decides to be aggressive
- Probes with the dribble as he looks evaluates the defense, feels his defender, and looks to potentially draw the defense and kick to the open man
- Likes the fallaway jumper in the middle of the lane
- As with every other part of his game, he is patient, and waits for the right time to make decisions with the ball

Straight-line drives set up from the mid-post on the catch-and-face

Offensive rebounding – calculating offensive rebounder who tracks the ball well in the air, has good judgment of where the ball is coming off the rim, and owns the physical tools (motor, length, and functional strength) to come away with extra possessions and putbacks
- Smart with his putbacks. Rarely forces them up after the board and will dribble into space for the short jumper when it’s there.
- 26.7% of his rebounding output in EYBL play (nearly 1 per game)

Transition/open court (see below for more detail)

A smart, efficient transition player who can run the lane to finish or spot up, in addition to functioning as a trailer
- Scored nearly a quarter of his points in transition during EYBL play
- Runs the floor with adequate speed, getting out early after securing/finishing the defensive possession
- Will finish above the rim in the open court
- Understands when to fan out and spot up to create necessary spacing and capitalize on his strength as a catch-and-shooter

No need for ball dominance to be effective
- The ball seldom sticks to him on the perimeter. When it does, it is typically for additional probing, allowing off ball movement to develop, or replacing himself with the dribble.
- Fluid movements without the ball. Exhibits his understanding of time and space and feel for the defense as a whole.
  - Very comfortable operating when catching out of off-the-ball action (i.e. pin downs, curls, fades, etc.)
  - Knows how to place himself in positions that increase his chances for success
  - Naturally moves to the open area
  - Typically moves with purpose off the ball. Cuts according to how he’s being played by the defense.

Finishing
- Capable of finishing with strength or finesse
  - Will take it strong and keep two hands on the ball against rim protection
  - Soft touch
- Growing understanding of how to use his body to create and absorb contact
  - Improving finisher through contact
- Capable finisher above the rim, especially in the open court
- Tends to have some difficulty against lengthy rim protectors and will improve by utilizing the rim as protection at opportune times
- Patience bleeds into his play around the rim
- Strong preference to finish with his strong hand
- Shot 50% (27-for-54) at the rim in the 21 Nike EYBL games

Unselfish in nature
A consistently sound decision maker in the half court and in transition
- Can be depended on to make the right play
Plays off of two feet
Everything he does is under control
Has a propensity to make big shots at crucial times
Values possession of the ball; practices good ball security
As a high-percentage free throw shooter, he will bolster his scoring efforts by getting to the line more often
- 17.8% free throw rate over the 31 games charted
Continues to develop his advantage creation skillset, building on his existing ball skills and feel for the defense
Efficient pick-and-roll player as the ball handler on low reps

Shooting

A good overall shooter with a silky smooth jumper and upside for continued growth
Reliable 3-point shooter with solid percentages. Capable shooter from all around the arc, with his highest percentages coming from either corner (especially the left) and the top of the key/well above the break.
- Shot 37.5% on 4.3 attempts per game over the 13 games charted
- Shot 38.1% on 4.0 attempts per game in all 21 Nike EYBL games
- Shot a combined 35.5% on 124 total attempts (4.0 per game) in 31 total games
  - Shot 30% on 4 attempts per game in the 10 games charted with Sidwell Friends during the high school season
As mentioned, he shines as a spot-up catch-and-shooter from behind the arc
- Shot a killer 46.4% (26-for-56) on spot-ups in 21 Nike EYBL games
  - Including a scorching 55.2% (16-for-29) from the corners!

As discussed earlier, he had difficulties off of movement. However, this is not a part of his game or shooting repertoire that I feel overly concerned about.
- Predominantly shot moving to the right
- Shot 18.2% (4-for-22) off movement in 21 Nike EYBL games
- The shot is comfortable coming off screens and other movement. Nothing is different. It’s just a matter of knocking it down.

Still working towards consistency from deeper distances, but is very capable of shooting with range to stretch the defense and knock down long attempts
- Shoots the same shot without any extra loading up

Solid mid-range game that he can effectively utilize in several different ways, mostly which are off the bounce
- Has a slight preference for the pull-up going right, but mixes it up adequately
  - Reads and reacts to the defense
- Preferred spots consist of the foul-line and elbow areas, as well as the baselines
- Shot 36.4% (16-for-44) in 21 Nike EYBL games (from all mid-range levels combined)
  - Highest percentage was right around the 15-foot range
  - Struggled a bit from the short mid-range game

On the catch, he alternates between shooting off a jumpstop and a 1, 2 step
- The 1, 2 step can vary based on his angle. He prefers to move straight-on toward the rim on the catch and will therefore adjust his body just prior to the catch in order to do so. It can often be a very pronounced 1, 2 step.
  - For example, when coming off a screen moving right, he will take a small, quick extra step backwards with his left foot to better square his shoulders before the 1, 2 (right, left) step
While he shoots a set shot from 3, the ball isn’t in his hands long. He is decisive and the catch-to-release time is quick.

Shoots a jump shot from midrange with good elevation
Has a short memory that does not affect subsequent attempts
82.4 FT% over 31 games on 1.6 attempts per game
Preps well for the shot
Shoots a relaxed, confident shot
High quality shot selection
- Looks for the best shot available and doesn’t just settle for the perimeter jumpers
  - Will take what the defense gives him
- Doesn’t force “poor” attempts often
- Shot distribution in EYBL play (182 attempts in 21 games)
  - 46.2% from 3
  - 24.2% from midrange
  - 29.6% at the rim
- 39.2% of his shots came from behind the arc in the 10 games charted during the HS season
Mechanics/form – shot has roughly 1.5 movements
- Both feet pointed slightly right
- Draws power from his legs – clean energy transfer from the lower body to the upper body
- High elbow – well over 90-degrees – supports the clean, high release from overtop of his forehead
  - Will sometimes have a higher release point from mid-range
- Is at his best as a shooter when he shoots up, getting maximum trajectory on the shot
  - Typically gets good air under the ball
  - Experiences his struggles when he shoots more out than up
- Has a small tendency to allow his front left leg to drift out in front and turn his right shoulder outward on the release
- Consistent follow through

Passing

Dribbling

A skilled, willing passer who keeps it simple and makes the right play
- Makes the extra pass
Possesses the upside to grow as a distributor as he continues to add to his advantage creation skills with the ball
Makes plays for others from the mid-post or traditional post position
- Draws the defense to kick to perimeter shooters and dump to cutters

Demonstrates good court vision as a distribution hub on the perimeter, in addition to seeing the floor well out of the post

Repeatedly showed the ability to deliver the cross-court pass to perimeter shooters

Flashes the ability to thread the needle off the live dribble

Understands the importance of shifting the defense simply by rotating the ball
- Doesn’t hold onto the ball when rotating it. Instead, he moves it with urgency/timeliness and zip.
Knows when to place softer touch on the pass as well as which pass to throw, depending on distance, the position of the defense, and the recipient of the pass

Proficient lob passer from the perimeter, highlighting his ability to put touch on the pass

Quality decision maker as a passer in various situations

Has a small tendency to force the post-entry pass when it’s not there
Delivers the ball with accurate placement
Advances the ball with the pass
As mentioned, he plays off of two feet and, therefore, does not leave his feet to pass often

Passing

Dribbling

Owns a fundamental, functional handle
- Especially functional in the half court, where he is effective from the point of attack
- Does not typically handle the ball in transition, but will occasionally bring it up the court to enter the ball into the offense
- Exhibits good ball control overall
Handles from a basketball/triple threat position
Keeps his eyes up, for the most part
Protects the ball well with his body and off hand
Doesn’t try to do too much with it. Dribble moves from the point of attack in the half court are generally north-south moves with intentions of getting to the mid-range spot or all the way to the basket.
Controlled speed dribble in the open court
Owns an effective dribble draw, remaining in triple threat position throughout the process
- Replaces himself well with the dribble, but does so only when necessary. Of course, he is moving at his own speed when he does it.

Will take his time and use as many dribbles as necessary to accomplish his objective, yet is still efficient with his dribbles overall
Tends to turn his back after the defender cuts off his initial move when operating from the point of attack in the half court as a ball protection mechanism; but is often quick to re-face if he doesn’t decide to continue to go to work with his back to the basket

Defense

Sound and completely solid all the way around. His IQ/feel apply to this end of the court just as much as it does the other.
Competes hard and pays attention to detail
Was a member of one of the best defensive teams in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area with Sidwell Friends; and then a member of Team Takeover in the Spring/Summer, who had a shoe circuit-wide-best 15+ point differential throughout EYBL play
- Understands what it takes to succeed on this end of the floor, both physically and mentally
- Excellent understanding of team defensive concepts

In perimeter isolation situations and others on the ball, he plays with his feet, moving with agility and urgency
- Plays the angles to cut off ball handlers on their initial and second moves
  - Does a great job of taking away the baseline
- Defends without fouling
- Will benefit from sitting down lower in his stance more consistently
- Largely switchable in the pick-and-roll, and capable of executing various coverages
- Matches up well with bigger scoring guards, jumbo wings, active forwards, and traditional power forwards

Off the ball
- Remains alert and ready to react
- Maintains a good balance of attention between ball and man
- Active, smart use of hands on the help side to strip driving ball handlers
- Willing to step in with his body to take the charge

Can stay attached on the wing entry deny and will adequately navigate screens by taking the shortest path

Stays vertical and plays position defense as a rim protector, but is not a shot blocker
Serviceable on the defensive glass who’s demonstrated the capability to produce double digit games

Feel/Basketball IQ

High feel and IQ player who understands how to win
- Knows how to play; knows how to make the right play
- Very good court awareness
- Decisive
- Offensive feel drives his ability to consistently make good decisions
- Defensive feel propels his positioning, angles, and ability to execute on team defensive concepts
- Has an advanced understanding of pace
Possesses a keen understanding of who he is as a player, what his abilities are, and plays to his strengths
Shows quick processing abilities that should continue to develop as he gets older
Plays the game at his own speed and doesn’t allow the defense to speed him up
Sound understanding of ball movement and off ball movement
Aware of time and score
Recognizes mismatches and moves to quickly take advantage of them
Growing ability to manipulate the defense in order to open up passing lanes
Intelligent reader of the defense
Owns first-class fundamentals
Displays the ability to limit his mistakes without hindering his approach to the game
Has natural basketball instincts and is often a play ahead on many possessions
Was “raised in the gym” – comes from a basketball family

Dispostion/Presence

Intangibles/Disposition

Plays to win and doesn’t get distracted from the goal. Plays without an ego.
- A proven winner – a primary contributor for DCSAA champion and Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) champion Sidwell Friends School, as well as 16U Nike EYBL champion Team Takeover
Calm and collected demeanor; very even-keeled
- Relaxed, but attentive
Poised under pressure
Mature approach to the game on both ends
Acknowledges his own mistakes
- Does not allow his mistakes to impact the next play or his overall effort in any way
Exhibits mental toughness
Facial expression and body language rarely change
Very competitive player who loves to win
Terrific work ethic – a gym rat who competes in every drill during practice, then stays after to get more work in

Coachability

A very coachable player
Responds to tough coaching and understands its purpose
- Responds to being challenged
Growing into a leader – naturally leads by example
- Holds his teammates accountable in a non-confrontational, instructional way
Sidwell Friends Coach Eric Singletary: “He is so in tune with winning and the process that it takes that he stays focused and locked in on the adjustments we make during the game. He is able to offer input to the adjustments as well.”
- Furthermore, Coach Antoine Gaithers of Team Takeover commented, “In AAU, you have to adjust on the fly. Having a player like him provides so much flexibility because he handles offensive and defensive adjustments so well. I can change his matchup on defense and play him in a position on offense because he can take instruction from the clipboard to the floor.”
- Commits to the game plan and executes on the court
Recognizes and accepts his role
- Accepted his role of coming off the bench during the Nike EYBL with grace and maturity, and did not allow it to hinder his performance
Comes to practice with the right attitude and has a strong desire to get better

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