Derrick Williams' fast rise to No. 2 overall

Pelinka insisted Minnesota was still a good fit for his client, pointing to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns of a few years ago as examples of teams who can have success without conventional starting lineups.

"I wouldn't pigeon hole him into a four or a three," Pelinka said. "He can do both. The great players in the game can do that. What's Kevin Durant? Or Dirk Nowitzki goes all the way to the finals and he doesn't have a position. I think the league is becoming more of a hybrid league."

Williams is soft-spoken and humble when speaking to the media, but his mother says she sees a different side of him when he hits the court.

"He walks around, you see this humble kid, he's gliding around," Moore said, "and then you see him beasting it up out there, just being a beast."

Now he has a whole new set of doubters in the NBA. Many draft analysts called this class the weakest in years, saying there were no clear-cut, perennial All-Stars in the bunch.

Williams just shrugs. He's heard that all before.

"I've come a long way since high school," he said. "Barely got recruited. It's an honor and a blessing to have this opportunity. I'm going to take full advantage of it."

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