Blue Devil Country

Hornets Big Man Criticizes Duke Basketball Alum Mark Williams

The skillset of Duke basketball product Mark Williams isn't the problem in Charlotte.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball center Mark Williams (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
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Late Tuesday night, Charlotte Hornets center Kai Jones, a 2021 first-round draft pick out of Texas, appeared to get defensive, just not in the way his employer would probably prefer. He took to social media to seemingly bad-mouth his teammate and competitor for minutes down low in recent Duke basketball gem Mark Williams.

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Responding on Instagram to a fan who expressed his prediction that Williams will be the overriding reason for Jones' exit in Charlotte, the 22-year-old Jones, just days removed from noting his confidence that the Hornets won't trade him, opted to publicly criticize the 21-year-old Williams for his supposed inability to go left.

"Show me a video of [Mark Williams] pulling up...going left and hitting it," Jones demanded. "Anywhere...in college...show one."

Around the same time, Jones took issue with a fan claiming another Hornets big man, Nick Richards, is better than him.

"I'm more assertive with the ball," Jones opined. "I can read myself."

Mark Williams, who went No. 15 overall to the Hornets following his two years of off-the-charts development with the Blue Devils, now looks like the young center of the future for the team following his 10 double-double performances across his final 18 appearances as Charlotte's starter at the five-spot down the stretch last season.

The 7-foot-1, 240-pound former ACC Defensive Player of the Year (in the last season of Duke basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski's career) averaged 9.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks for a Hornets franchise that missed the playoffs for the seventh straight time.

Despite the squad's woes, folks across the league praised the rookie's promising play.

As for the 6-foot-11, 220-pound Kai Jones, following his lackluster outing in early July's Las Vegas Summer League action after averaging only 3.4 points and 2.7 boards as an NBA sophomore last season, All Hornets' Nicholas Mullick summed up why "it's time to panic" regarding the 2021 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year's future in Charlotte:

"There's no more time for excuses. He needs to show some signs of improvement, especially with the emergence of Mark Williams...and Nick Richards, a [2020] second-round pick [out of Kentucky], outperforming Jones last season."

According to an article from All Hornets' Austin Leake last week, Mark Williams looks like Charlotte's projected starting center for the 2023-24 campaign, with Richards as his backup and Jones as the third-stringer.

Beyond Jones' less-than-stellar production on the court, one may wonder if the Charlotte Hornets brass will want a guy who would roast his teammates as a member of the locker room.

RELATED: List of Duke's All-Time McDonald's All-Americans

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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