Former Wildcat Derrick Williams is in a New York State of Mind
By Mark Barrera
Derrick Williams is now a player on the New York Knicks. Is “team hopping” going to be the future for Williams for the No. 2 draft pick or has the time finally come for him to live up to the potential everyone saw in him?
Four years ago Derrick Williams was the No. 2 pick behind Kyrie Irving in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves had high hopes that he could bring his college dominance to the NBA. During his time in Minnesota and Sacramento Williams has shown flashes of what got people amped about him playing in the NBA. But then there were a lot of games where he wasn’t able to make an impact.
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The former Pac-10 Player of the Year,Derrick Williams falls into what could be known as a “career-ending”category: a ‘tweener. In his first season, the NBA was suffering from a lock-out, so he didn’t get the best start to his NBA career. Before given a chance to show what true position he could play, “experts” were knocking him down saying he had no clear role, he was too small for his position, he was too slow, or not a good enough shooter, etc. All of this was reported even after his dominating performances in the NCAA Tournament his Sophomore year when he was just 2 points away from making the final four. Don’t remember his great performance? Take a glance at this…
Minnesota kept bringing in more and more SF/PF players. The same could be said about being in Sacramento, where he was at times competing for playing time with Rudy Gay. We can’t forget or ignore that Williams played for three coaches this past year in Sacramento. THREE!! IN ONE SEASON!!! How is a player, who already isn’t being given a true shot at a position and supposed to make big moves with three different coaches in one year?
The New York Knicks GM saw something in Williams. They saw a player who has yet to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of doing. But this is New York…so if your name isn’t on the level of the LeBron James and Kobe Bryant’s of the league, you’re basically trash. After a free agency that saw star player after star player turning down the Knicks, Phil Jackson had to get creative. But what do New Yorker’s have to say about bringing in Williams? Freakish athlete, but low basketball IQ. He’s a bust. Actually, I think he was described as a “maligned draft bust.”
Mar 20, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Derrick Williams (13) dunks the ball against Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo (8) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Charlotte Hornets 101-91. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
If you don’t produce within the first 3-4 years of your NBA career, everyone is ready to write you off. I am not there. Derrick Williams is 24, soon to be 25. He’s young. He’s still learning and improving. New York is a tough crowd to please. One night you can be cheered for, booed, cursed at, and praised. And this can all happen during the first quarter.
The triangle offense is just what Williams needs. Forget what people say about his basketball IQ. This came from a source with ties to Karl, who again, was his third assistant coach that year. Williams has plenty of IQ. He spent two years under Sean Miller at Arizona who demands intelligence once you step on the court. The Triangle offense asks for spacing, cuts, and ball movement. If you think about it, it really doesn’t take a whole lot of intelligence to run the triangle offense anyway.
Williams has said the Knicks see him playing multiple positions, being involved in pick-and-rolls, and of course making aggressive moves to the rim. Like this one…
Does Derrick Williams have a lot to prove? Yes. You can’t hide the fact that he hasn’t lived up to what a No. 2 draft pick is supposed to be. I don’t think he has been given a chance, being placed in the wrong position, and having three coaches in one year.
This move to New York gives Williams a 100% clean slate. I believe we’re about to see the real Derrick Williams; he’s only 24 years old and can match-up with SF’s and PF’s which is a hot commodity in the NBA today. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but I have a lot of confidence in Williams.
I’m excited to see what he has to offer in New York, and I know Wildcat Nation is ready. Bear Down D-Will!!!