Welter: NBA Draft menu can be overwhelming, keep it simple with Duke's AJ Griffin and Mark Williams

By Pat Welter

The NBA Draft can be overwhelming. It's like looking at a Cheesecake Factory menu where every dish is mediocre to poor instead of transcendent to peerless. That's the truth about drafts no one likes to admit when they are filling out their group think inspired mock drafts. Most of these prospects don't work out regardless of how much we talk up their close out speed and off ball potential.

As a Providence College alumni who frequented the Cheesecake Factory at the Providence Place Mall for many a date, I have a particular expertise on how to navigate a problem like the draft: KEEP IT SIMPLE (First date with my now wife was actually at a hip Providence Place Mall joint called Fire and Ice were you assembled a bowl of raw ingredients for a chef to hibachi in front of you, that's a story and analogy for another time).

Obviously the Filet Mignon is going to be good at Cheesecake Factory and the Steak Diane, oh the Steak Diane (Medallions of steak covered with black peppercorns and a rich mushroom wine sauce is the menu's description). But those are the top picks, not everyone can afford those.  My "keep it simple" advice is for the regular guy or gal on a date, aka the teams in the mid to late lottery.  Sure Thai Coconut Lime Chicken sounds good, but you don't know if your stomach can handle that.  Chicken Parmesan Pizza Style, what even is that? I don't know, but are you sure you want to bypass a safer option to find out?

That's where two Duke prospects come into the picture: A.J. Griffin and Mark Williams. They might not have the highest upside or intrigue, but they can deliver a certifiable skill. Griffin can shoot.  44.7% from three to be specific, one of the best in the NCAA.  Williams can block shots, protect the rim and dunk.  Man can he dunk, but he also shot 72.7% from the free throw line which suggests there's a workable jumper in there as well.

"Mark was a joy to coach, an incredible year," Duke associate head coach Chris Carrawell said about Williams. "He played in a weak basketball league in Virginia for three years [in high school] then transferred to IMG [Academy]. His best basketball is a head of him. He's really still young.  I believe he's going to be a lottery pick.  He should be a starter in the NBA for a long time, be a good player and make a lot of money and should be able to take me out to a few dinners."

A few dinners at an establishment named after a rich and succulent dessert that also serves every genre of food you can dream of perhaps? Williams is your spaghetti and meatballs. It's not fancy, but you really can't go wrong. Fresh or leftovers, it's always ready to deliver and won't leave you hungry.  Williams can step in right now and play valuable minutes at the five.  That's why he's being linked to the Charlotte Hornets who have selections at No. 13 and No. 15.  Charlotte was one of the teams he did a private work out for and he said Monday that it went well.  Pair Williams with LaMelo Ball and you have yourself a delicious entree.

"Just a guy who is going to run the floor, catch lobs, protect the rim," Williams said. "[I] want to win."

In the mood for wings? How about some buffalo chicken with a side of blue cheese. Every bar menu needs to have these, it's a foundational item. They started as a niche regional food and became a national sensation that literally everyone eats. In the NBA this is the three point shot.  Used to be a novelty, now it's necessary for survival.

If you're drafting after the top three picks you have no clue what you're getting. Jaden Ivey? Ton of upside, but the world gives us a lot of six foot four shot creating guards. He could be just another guy. Shaedon Sharpe? Upside again, but he mysteriously didn't play his freshman season at Kentucky. Can your franchise really afford a complete swing and miss inside the top ten? That's where A.J. Griffin comes in. He's from the White Plains area, not Buffalo, but close enough.

The thing about Griffin is he could be more than just an appetizer. He could be straight up Buffalo Wild Wings. The type of player you build your franchise around.  He's six foot six with long arms and a filled out frame. He flashed shot creation and the ability to take over games.  UNC fans are still traumatized by his ten straight points to start the second half in Duke's 87-67 win at Chapel Hill. Griffin had a career high 27 points.

With Griffin there are injury concerns. He suffered a dislocated left knee his junior year of high school and sprained his right knee before his freshman season at Duke. But as a person he's a home run.  His father Adrian Griffin played in the NBA and is currently an assistant with the Toronto Raptors so you know he understands what he's about to face.  Griffin is also a devout Christian, he even held bible study with his teammates at Duke.

"He's the best kid in the world," Carrawell said. "We've got a Saturday game, Friday night's bible study. Always smiling even when there's no reason to smile, always had a smile on his face. Just a beautiful kid."

There's a maturity to the way Griffin speaks and carries himself. If you draft him, you know you aren't going to have to worry about who you are bringing into your organization.

"I have my goals of winning rookie of the year," Griffin said Monday. "Having those goals of being the best player I can be that first year."

So go ahead, draft to impress if you wish, but know the risks and do your research. You don't want to order an Ahi Tuna Salad on your date not knowing that Ahi Tuna is almost completely raw. (Yes, I did that). When in doubt keep it simple. Your stomach and your fans will thank you.