The Brooklyn Nets have had some pleasantly surprising success early on in the 2024-25 season. One of the most impactful contributors to the team's rise is former Memphis Grizzlies forward and 2021 lottery pick Ziaire Williams. Williams is making the most of his new start with Brooklyn, but can he sustain his early improvement?
Through his first 12 games with the Nets, Williams is averaging a career-high 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals on a personal-best 32.5 percent three-point shooting clip. The talented forward has made strides in nearly every part of his game, acting as a Swiss Army Knife for Brooklyn through the first part of the season.
Williams knew he needed to work on two things to rebuild his value with the Nets after not quite living up to expectations with the Grizzlies: his deep-range shooting and his health. So far, he has not missed a game with Brooklyn and his early three-point percentage is one percent more accurate than his previous best of 31.4 percent, which he shot during the 2023-24 campaign.
Nevertheless, Williams' shooting leaves more to be desired.
Can Williams sustain and further improve his three-point shooting?
Ziaire Williams started the season hotter than expected from beyond the arc. Through Oct. 31, Williams shot a blazing 56.7 percent on his long-range shots. The mark was impressive, but the likelihood he would sustain such accuracy was low, and as mentioned above, his numbers did indeed fall.
While Williams' 32.5 percent mark is a career-best, it is not a signifant improvement from his Grizzlies days. He has shown he can improve his shooting, but the next major question is, can he keep it consistent and raise his mark higher?
Williams had a promising showing against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 13, shooting 40 percent (2-for-5) on his threes as a part of his impressive 23-point performance. The former lottery pick must continue to have these types of showings to maximize his potential from deep.
The positive thing for Williams is even if he cannot significantly improve his long-range accuracy, he does plenty of other valuable things that help his team win. Veteran teammate Dennis Schroder gave Williams a bold declaration after the Nets' Oct. 30 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, saying he was "hands down" one of the best defenders in the league.
Williams' defensive ability and upside alone could be enough to help him reach the next level of his development.
As Brooklyn continues to navigate the early part of the 2024-25 season, they look for Ziaire Williams to shoot for the stars.