Eric Williams Jr. Testing NBA Draft Waters

The senior forward will retain his eligibility and can return to Oregon if he chooses.

Oregon forward Eric Williams Jr. has announced that he will go through the NBA Draft process. 

He shared his decision on Instagram. 

The key piece of information to note here is that Williams will not be signing with an agent. He will go through evaluations and get feedback on his game, likely from NBA scouts, coaches, etc. 

That's significant for Dana Altman, as he's already looking at a roster that will have a very different starting lineup next season. The front court is looking stacked, but the rest of the squad isn't as solidified with Will Richardson and Aaron Estrada the only scholarship guards set to return. 

In the 2020 season Williams averaged 10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.6 APG. Williams was inserted into the starting lineup around the midway point of the season, taking Chandler Lawson's spot. Dana Altman favored a smaller, more athletic lineup that could play a bit of positionless basketball. 

Eric Williams Jr. (50) hangs from the rim after throwing down a dunk against Oregon State on January 23, 2021 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon / © Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Should he hear his name called in this summer's NBA Draft, Williams would join Chris Duarte, Eugene Omoruyi, and LJ Figueroa as Ducks that have left the program to pursue professional careers. 

Duarte is the Oregon player with the best chance to be drafted, showing up in the first round of some NBA mock drafts. Omoruyi is a bit undersized for his position in the NBA, but his all-around game, strong defense and hustle would make him an asset to any team that chooses to give him a chance. 

Figueroa looks like he's destined for a professional career overseas, starting in the Dominican Republic. 

Altman has proven to be a wizard at building his teams in the final stretch before the season, and hasn't given anyone a reason to doubt him. So far this offseason he was able to move quickly and fill the vacancy left by Tony Stubblefield, now the head coach at DePaul, by hiring Chris Crutchfield. 

Now Altman can focus all of his attention on finding some gems on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. 

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