Mark Williams was one of the pieces the Phoenix Suns brought in this past offseason to try and solve their woes at the center position that Jusuf Nurkic was no longer equipped to fill. Williams has had his ups and downs, with head coach Jordan Ott opting to roll with Oso Ighodaro over him at times, but when the towering center is locked in, he can be such an imposing presence near the basket. Just ask the Brooklyn Nets.

Williams wasted no time establishing himself as a premier shot-blocking threat on Monday night against the Nets. With over 11 minutes still left in the third quarter of play, the Suns center defended a dribble drive from Nic Claxton. Claxton tried to go a little fancy with it, using a sidestep to try and shake Williams. But Williams matched him step for step and ended up snatching the ball in mid-air from Claxton's floater attempt.

The timing, athleticism, and dexterity needed to pull this off is no joke. Only the best shot-blockers in the league even try to snatch the ball in mid-air to immediately claim possession for his team, and the Suns center has all the tools needed to do this sort of thing.

This block was only one of three rejections Williams has on the night. The Suns are currently leading the Nets in the fourth, 121-114.

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Mark Williams is an ideal fit for this plucky Suns team

Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Williams has a huge chip on his shoulder from the nixed trade that would have brought him to the Los Angeles Lakers, and it's this underdog mentality that's fueling the Suns to such a good run thus far in the 2025-26 campaign.

But beyond being an incredible fit on the mental side of the ball, he is also the perfect fit on the court. He can run the floor quickly, he is an athletic big man who is very unselfish, and he can protect the rim to try and protect the Suns' smaller guards.