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Vanderbilt added its fourth player from the transfer portal in Auburn forward Sebastian Williams-Adams Tuesday afternoon. In his freshman season at Auburn, Williams-Adams averaged 7.0 points per game, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Here is a breakdown of Williams-Adams' game.
Williams-Adams is a player that this Vanderbilt staff has had an affinity for since it got to Nashville, and it finally got him.
Watching Williams-Adams makes it easier to see why Vanderbilt feels the way it does about the former four-star forward. It also indicates that he’s got more ability than his numbers indicate.
Williams-Adams is a strong four man that can really finish through contact because of his strength, can change the momentum of a game with athletic dunks and has some patience around the rim.
He’s also got real potential to be a dynamic scorer out of the face up. When Williams-Adams truly breaks out offensively, it will likely involve him consistently demonstrating that he’s hard to guard when he’s got the ball in the midpost. He’s also got real potential–as far as 6-foot-8 four men are concerned–to be a consistently-effective low-post player.
When Williams-Adams is at his best, he’s stepping out and making shots from 3-point range consistently. At this stage of his development, he’s about average from beyond the arc and does draw some attention around the 3-point line. The next step in his game, though, is him becoming more consistent from out there and being a realistic threat to hit multiple in a game. Williams-Adams did that just once in his freshman season at Auburn–although it was in the NIT in Auburn’s second-to-last game.
If that part of Williams-Adams’ game evolves, he may be able to play the three with some level of consistency. At this stage, with his skillset and body being the way they are, he’s best utilized as a four man that can be positioned to capitalize on his advanced physicality.
Williams-Adams’ offensive game is still coming along, but what evaluators and opposing coaches rave about at this stage is his motor and the way it propels his game. He’s always active. He’s never afraid of physicality. He does the dirty work at a high level.
The rebounding counting numbers don’t quite pop yet, but Williams-Adams is generally efficient on the glass and has the motor as well as the frame to get just about any rebound. He can also push the ball if he gets it off the glass.
Williams-Adams is perhaps the best frontcourt defender that Vanderbilt has rostered in the Mark Byington era, too. He’s got a strong base, can guard multiple positions, makes up ground with his athleticism as well as his length and has good instincts as a shotblocker.
Vanderbilt has loved this profile for a number of years, and it finally got it on its roster.
Where Williams-Adams fits
In some ways, the answer is that Vanderbilt will figure that out later.
There’s some internal curiosity within the Huber Center as to how effective Williams-Adams can be at the three, but his true position at this level is the four. Vanderbilt has a position of surplus there with Williams-Adams, Nebraska transfer Berke Buyuktuncel and perhaps Vanderbilt forward AK Okereke—who is looking to be approved for another season of eligibility, although this could indicate Vanderbilt’s optimism levels on the lawsuit.
Vanderbilt was looking to add to its frontcourt before Williams-Adams went in the portal, but its efforts appeared to be more oriented toward a five man rather than a four.
Perhaps it made more sense for Vanderbilt to recruit a four man so that he wouldn’t block its cheaper, young five men from having an opportunity to prove himself.
Williams-Adams was too good to not pursue, though.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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