Williams Selected 10th Overall in NBA Draft

NEW YORK – Hearing his name called by NBA commissioner Adam Silver in Brooklyn, Ziaire Williams was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 10th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. His draft rights are projected to be traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Williams is the fifth top-10 and lottery pick in program history, joining Josh Childress (6th, 2004), Rich Kelley (7th, 1975), Adam Keefe (10th, 1992) and Brook Lopez (10th, 2008).

The highest-rated recruit in program history, Williams was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 Freshman Team selection despite missing six conference games. Capable of defending multiple positions, the 6-8 forward averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season.

Williams was a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award, and was one of a select group of freshmen honored on both the Naismith and Wooden Trophy watch lists. After posting the program's second-ever triple-double against Washington on Jan. 7, Williams was named the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week on Jan. 11, which goes along with the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor he earned on Dec. 21. He was one of 18 players nationally to post a triple-double this season.

With Williams' selection, Stanford has had 13 first round picks in program history, with Williams the first since Josh Huestis in 2014 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cardinal has seen a player selected in three consecutive drafts, as KZ Okpala (Miami Heat) and Tyrell Terry (Dallas Mavericks) were second round selections in 2019 and 2020. The Cardinal has had 42 total draftees, while 33 Stanford athletes have played in the NBA. Josh Childress remains the highest-drafted player in program history as the sixth selection in the 2004 Draft.