Duke’s Mark Williams Declares for NBA Draft After Standout Sophomore Season

The 7-foot-1 big man was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and third-team All-ACC last season.

Duke sophomore big man Mark Williams announced his intention to declare for the NBA Draft in a heartfelt video shared on social media Monday afternoon.

The 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year reflected on his time with the program before thanking his now-retired head coach Mike Krzyzewski, his teammates and the Blue Devils staff for an “incredible” season.

“Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine, just like how Duke was when I was growing up. Duke has prepared me to take this next step,” Williams said prior to making the announcement.

Thank You, Duke. Forever Grateful.💙😈🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/6DyvJM8stu

— Mark Williams (@MarkWi1liams) April 18, 2022

After averaging a modest 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman, Williams made an impressive leap this past season, boosting his numbers to 11.2 PPG and 7.4 RPG. He provided the young Blue Devils with a steady inside presence on both ends of the floor on their way to a 32–7 overall record and a regular season title.

With Williams manning the paint, Duke made a run to the Final Four in New Orleans before falling to rival UNC in the national semifinal. Williams logged 16 blocked shots in five NCAA tournament games, tying the record for the most blocks by a Duke player in a single tournament. 

The 7-foot-1 center finished his second season third-team All-ACC, and earned his second consecutive All-ACC Academic selection. He was also named to the ACC All-Defensive Team, and was a finalist for Naismith DPOY.