Williams Goes Pro
East coast bias. This is what I'm going to use as my reason for not seeing much of Derrick Williams during the regular season. The power-packed Big East made headlines all year, with star and now national champion Kemba Walker leading the way. Nolan Smith and the Blue Devils also had their fair share of the spotlight. Then of course there was Jimmer Mania. Fredette was about as close as I got to the Pac 10 this year. The conference's games were late for us on the East Coast and really their teams just weren't worth my beauty sleep. At least this is what I thought before a certain Thursday night in March.
The date, March 24th; the excitement that is March Madness was upon us. I was excited because my Tar Heels were still in the Dance, and I was certainly going to tune in for an opportunity to see Duke lose. I lost hope as the first half progressed. Duke seemed in control and I was debating calling it a night rather than waste my time on another Blue Devil victory. However there was one sign of hope for the Cats; it was this guy I had been hearing pretty good things about. Derrick Williams was lights out, going 5-6 from three point range in the first half including a 3 in the closing seconds that pulled Arizona within 6.
I was still pretty skeptical and was back to considering bed when Charles Barkley convinced viewers that the Wildcats had Duke right where they wanted them. Really Charles? Yes, really. The Cats went on to score 55 in the second half to run Duke out of the gym 93-77. Williams, already a highly touted sophomore, had entered the national spotlight. Scoring 32 points to go along with 13 rebounds, Williams scored from inside and out, showcasing power moves and monster dunks to go along with his outside shooting.
As Arizona's run eventually came to an end, Williams faced a decision, go or stay. His decision was made easier by his performance in the NCAA Tournament; some analysts now projecting he could go as high as #1 overall. On Wednesday Williams formally announced what many expected; he was leaving school and signing an agent in preparation for the NBA draft.
The 6-foot-8 Williams seemed a man among boys at times in college. He could post you up underneath or pull it out and shoot a 3 in your face. With the increased size and athleticism of the NBA, it will be interesting to see what kind of player Williams becomes. I've seen some Blake Griffin comparisons while others have written that Williams will be better used as a 6th man. I tend to follow NCAAB more than the NBA, and would be interested to hear what fans from the league think Williams’ prospects are.
Williams saw his draft stock soar during the Big Dance
The date, March 24th; the excitement that is March Madness was upon us. I was excited because my Tar Heels were still in the Dance, and I was certainly going to tune in for an opportunity to see Duke lose. I lost hope as the first half progressed. Duke seemed in control and I was debating calling it a night rather than waste my time on another Blue Devil victory. However there was one sign of hope for the Cats; it was this guy I had been hearing pretty good things about. Derrick Williams was lights out, going 5-6 from three point range in the first half including a 3 in the closing seconds that pulled Arizona within 6.
I was still pretty skeptical and was back to considering bed when Charles Barkley convinced viewers that the Wildcats had Duke right where they wanted them. Really Charles? Yes, really. The Cats went on to score 55 in the second half to run Duke out of the gym 93-77. Williams, already a highly touted sophomore, had entered the national spotlight. Scoring 32 points to go along with 13 rebounds, Williams scored from inside and out, showcasing power moves and monster dunks to go along with his outside shooting.
As Arizona's run eventually came to an end, Williams faced a decision, go or stay. His decision was made easier by his performance in the NCAA Tournament; some analysts now projecting he could go as high as #1 overall. On Wednesday Williams formally announced what many expected; he was leaving school and signing an agent in preparation for the NBA draft.
Williams has been compared to the phenom Griffin
The 6-foot-8 Williams seemed a man among boys at times in college. He could post you up underneath or pull it out and shoot a 3 in your face. With the increased size and athleticism of the NBA, it will be interesting to see what kind of player Williams becomes. I've seen some Blake Griffin comparisons while others have written that Williams will be better used as a 6th man. I tend to follow NCAAB more than the NBA, and would be interested to hear what fans from the league think Williams’ prospects are.
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