Hornets Win When Duke Basketball Pro Mark Williams Thrives Down Low

Duke basketball's 2021-22 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and all-conference center has been on a tear in recent games.

Former Duke basketball center Mark Williams (Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports)

In games that full-time starter Mark Williams posts a double-double this season, the Charlotte Hornets are 4-1. Their other win (now 5-9 overall) coincided with the former two-year Duke basketball big man's career-high 27 points (seven rebounds in that outing).

When the 7-foot-1, 240-pound giant blocks at least two shots, the Hornets are 3-1.

And on that note, it's no surprise that the most improbable victory thus far in Charlotte's 2023-24 campaign — Monday night's 121-118 home win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics (12-3) and their Duke basketball pro, Jayson Tatum — was partly due to the big-time problems that Williams caused the visitors in the paint on both ends of the court.

The 21-year-old Virginia native, who came off the board at No. 15 overall to the Hornets at the 2022 NBA Draft, finished that contest with 18 points, 16 boards (eight on offense), two assists, one steal, and three blocks across his 33 minutes on the floor. His effort included several clutch plays late in regulation and in overtime.

The offensive rebounding form #Hornets Mark Williams last night — especially in the 2H — was a perfect way to capitalize on his size vs. the Celtics. His biggest one came with :34 following a block of his own shot, to cut the lead to 2. pic.twitter.com/HNnR96rYlO

— Richie (@richierandall) November 21, 2023

Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford said it was Williams' best game as a Hornet.

Two nights later, Williams tallied 11 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks to help Charlotte avoid a letdown via the team's 117-114 home win over one of the East's cellar dwellers in the Washington Wizards (2-12) and their NBA Blue Devil, starting guard Tyus Jones. It marked the Hornets' first back-to-back victories this season.

Now, Williams, who hasn't missed a game this season, is averaging 13.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and only 2.4 fouls and 1.0 turnovers in 27.2 minutes per game.

Before his 4-for-10 shooting clip against the Wizards, StatMuse noted that he was on pace to join Rudy Gobert and Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA players in history to post season averages of at least 10 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 70-plus percent from the field.

Mark Williams this season:

13.8 PPG
10.0 RPG
70.2 FG% (!!)

Rudy Gobert and Wilt Chamberlain are the only other players in NBA history with a 10/10 season on 70+ FG%. https://t.co/lUEuS0o3Lc

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 21, 2023

Even so, he's still close: 67.5 percent (68.5 at the charity stripe).

All of the above is impressive for a second-year pro who began his rookie year developing his game with the Hornets' G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Mark Williams and the Hornets next travel to face the red-hot Orlando Magic (10-5), featuring Williams' 2021-22 Duke basketball co-star down low in Paolo Banchero, on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

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