Following a season of high offensive efficiency and dominating defense, Duke’s Mark Williams will start his NBA career with the Charlotte Hornets.
The 7-foot-2, 242-pound center, the ACC’s defensive player of the year as a sophomore last season, was selected with the No. 15 pick of the NBA draft’s first round Thursday night.
Williams built on the strong ending to his freshman season by emerging as a more consistent threat on both ends of the court last season when Duke went 32-7 to win the ACC regular-season championship and make the program’s first Final Four since 2015.