After going undrafted in last week’s NBA selection show, former TCU forward Kenrich Williams signed with the Denver Nuggets for Summer League.
The Nuggets have added @Drespight11 and Kenrich Williams to their summer league roster. Both had pre-draft workouts with the Nuggets
— Brandon Ewing (@B_Skip17) June 22, 2018
Williams, who averaged 13.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 2017-2018, has a game “taylor-made for the NBA”, according to SI’s Jake Fischer. Fischer went on to say: “He boasts the defensive malleability teams now crave in heavy-switching schemes. He attacks the glass like few true perimeter players. Already 23 years old, Williams seems poised to be the rare draft dotard selected in the second round, injury history notwithstanding. A lucky team can immediately cycle him into its perimeter rotation, where he’ll run the floor like he’s outpacing New Mexico’s ticking clock, shag flowing in his wake.”
An excellent fit as a 3-and-D wing in the modern professional game, Williams worked incessantly on his shot, especially from behind the arc, working to become a nearly 40% shooter from deep in his senior campaign. He also became a more confident ball-handler, something that will need to continue to improve as he works to become a rotation player in the NBA. A competent point-forward, the man nicknamed “Kenny Hustle” at TCU averaged 3.9 assists per game for a TCU team that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two decades, was responsible for starting 125 pick and rolls, and generated 1.048 points per possession, according to Synergy Sports.
What does Kenrich bring to the Denver Nuggets?
Other than his signature do - an old-school Dallas favorite, known as The Shag - Williams will be a hard-nosed, defensive minded, tough player off the bench, who will keep opponents honest on the offensive end, too. He should have a chance to make a significant impact this summer with the Nuggets, as he is one of just two small forwards currently assigned to the team. The other, Stan Okoye, is a journeyman forward who has spent the last few years bouncing around Europe after an up-and-down collegiate career at VMI. The Nuggets will be without first round draft pick Michael Porter, Jr, as the Mizzou product works through a back injury that saw him plummet to the bottom of the lottery, and guard Jarred Vanderbilt of Kentucky who has an injury himself. Without those two playmakers, Williams should be able to show some of his point-forward skills, shoulder more of the scorer load, and get a ton of touches.
In the long term, Porter’s status for the upcoming season could go a long way toward determining Kenny’s future with the team. Loaded with forwards, the Nuggets don’t lack for depth at that position - though they do have a shortage of youth. Porter and fellow rookie Justin Jackson both have measurables similar to Williams, as do veterans Darrell Arthur, Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried, and Richard Jefferson. It’s certainly going to be an uphill battle for Kenrich to make the team considering what he’s up against in committed salary.
That being said, there will be plenty of GMs watching, and hopefully Williams will show them enough to earn a two-way contract. Though he may need to begin in the G League, I can’t see anyway he isn’t playing in the NBA system this fall.
All of the Summer League games will be played in Las Vegas this year, and all be available for television viewing between ESPN and NBA TV. The full schedule is below, and more information can be found here.
Friday, July 6
Cox Pavilion
12 p.m. – Houston vs. Indiana (NBA TV)
2 p.m. – Brooklyn vs. Orlando (NBA TV)
4 p.m. – Milwaukee vs. Detroit (NBA TV)
6 p.m. – Cleveland vs. Washington (NBA TV)
8 p.m. – Denver vs. Minnesota (NBA TV)
Thomas & Mack
12:30 p.m. – Toronto vs. New Orleans (ESPNU)
2:30 p.m. – Oklahoma City vs. Charlotte (ESPNU)
4:30 p.m. – Boston vs. Philadelphia (ESPN)
6:30 p.m. – Dallas vs. Phoenix (ESPN)
8:30 p.m. – LA Clippers vs. Golden State (ESPN)
Saturday, July 7
Cox Pavilion
12 p.m. – Portland vs. Utah (NBA TV)
2 p.m. – Miami vs. New Orleans (NBA TV)
4 p.m. – Oklahoma City vs. Brooklyn (NBA TV)
6 p.m. – Detroit vs. Memphis (NBA TV)
8 p.m. – Boston vs. Denver (NBA TV)
Thomas & Mack
12:30 p.m. – San Antonio vs. Indiana (ESPN2)
2:30 p.m. – New York vs. Atlanta (ESPN)
4:30 p.m. – Phoenix vs. Sacramento (ESPN)
6:30 p.m. – Chicago vs. Cleveland (ESPN2)
8:30 p.m. – Philadelphia vs. Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN2)
Sunday, July 8
Cox Pavilion
12 p.m. – Minnesota vs. Toronto (NBA TV)
2 p.m. – Charlotte vs. Miami (NBA TV)
4 p.m. – Dallas vs. Milwaukee (NBA TV)
6 p.m. – Utah vs. New York (NBA TV)
8 p.m. – Sacramento vs. LA Clippers (NBA TV)
Thomas & Mack
12:30 p.m. – Washington vs. San Antonio (ESPN2)
2:30 p.m. – Portland vs. Atlanta (ESPN2)
4:30 p.m. – Golden State vs. Houston (ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. – Memphis vs. Orlando (ESPN2)
8:30 p.m. – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago (ESPN2)
Monday, July 9
Cox Pavilion
12 p.m. – New Orleans vs. Detroit (ESPNU)
2 p.m. – Indiana vs. Cleveland (ESPN2)
4 p.m. – Charlotte vs. Boston (ESPN2)
6 p.m. – Milwaukee vs. Denver (ESPNU)
8 p.m. – Brooklyn vs. Minnesota (ESPNU)
Thomas & Mack
12:30 p.m. – Toronto vs. Oklahoma City (NBA TV)
2:30 p.m. – Washington vs. Philadelphia (NBA TV)
4:30 p.m. – Golden State vs. Dallas (NBA TV)
6:30 p.m. – Orlando vs. Phoenix (NBA TV)
8:30 p.m. – LA Clippers vs. Houston (NBA TV)
Tuesday, July 10
Cox Pavilion
1 p.m. – San Antonio vs. Portland (NBA TV)
3 p.m. – Atlanta vs. Chicago (NBA TV)
Thomas & Mack
1:30 p.m. – Utah vs. Miami (EPNU)
3:30 p.m. – Sacramento vs. Memphis (ESPN2)
5:30 p.m. – Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York (ESPN2)
Wednesday, July 11
First round tournament games will take place at the below times and locations:
Cox Pavilion: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Thomas & Mack: 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 12
First and second round tournament games will take place at the below times and locations:
Cox Pavilion: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Thomas & Mack: 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 13
Consolation games will take place at the below times and locations:
Cox Pavilion: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Thomas & Mack: 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 14
Second round tournament games will take place at the below times and locations:
Cox Pavilion: 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Thomas & Mack: 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 15 - Quarterfinals
Quarterfinal tournament games will take place at the below times and locations:
Thomas & Mack: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Monday, July 16 – Semifinals
Semifinal tournament games will take place at the below times and locations:
Thomas & Mack: 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 17 – Championship
Thomas & Mack: 7 p.m.