Lakers sign former Arizona Basketball star Derrick Williams

The Lakers GM Rob Pelinka announced today the signing of Arizona Basketball Star Derrick Williams to a 10-day contract.

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Arizona Basketball fans will always have a place in their heart for six-year NBA Veteran and former Arizona Wildcat Derrick Williams. Luke Walton’s Lakers just picked up the 2011 NBA Draft overall 2nd pick for a 10-day contract.

The Lakers now have a bunch of Pac-12 players. Their roster includes two Wildcats, Channing Frye and Derrick Williams, one Utah Ute in Kyle Kuzma, a Stanford Cardinal in Brook Lopez and a UCLA Bruin in Lonzo Ball.. In addition, there are five coaches: Luke Walton, Jesse Mermuys, Miles Simon, Jud Buechler (Summer League coach) and Isaiah Fox (South Bay Lakers). We asked Brandon Ingram about all the Wildcats on in the Lakers organization, “There’s a lot going on over there.”

It’s Ingrams and Josh Harts injuries that left the wing position open for both Williams and his fellow Pac-12 adversary UCLA Bruin Travis WEAR. Both are playing for the Lakers tonight against the Denver Nuggets as their college teams battle to move to the finals of the Pac-12 Tournament.

I got the opportunity to meet Williams this summer at UCLA during the teams NBA Runs with Ron Allen. I gushed over him as I usually do when I finally get to meet the players I have written about for years. His future was uncertain at the time, but since then, he went on to play in the same league as his former teammate Kyle Fogg plays in, the Chinese Basketball League.

Now Fogg plays for the Guangzhou Long-Lions, Williams played for the Tianjin Ronggang Gold Lions. Williams averaged 20.0 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, and shot 50.5 percent for the Gold Lions.

Here is a throwback to the two players in an Arizona Basketball postgame conference:

Last season, Williams played for both the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs really benefitted from Williams energy and got praise from LeBron James who spoke about his intensity and ability to transition.

Note that both Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye played for the Cavs at the same time as Williams. Now Channing and Williams are with the Lakers. You think Luke Walton is leveraging his Cats? Has their backs? And the Pac-12 Tweeted out that Magic Johnson was at the Pac-12 tournament to watch the UCLA Bruins and Oregon State Beavers. Well, maybe, but don’t you think he was interested in the Wildcats too?

Must Read: More on Arizona Basketball from ZZ..

The Lakers have become the NBACats, and have taken over from Steve Kerr and Andre Iguodala‘s Golden State Warriors. Lakers have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs and seem to be prepared to try by adding Williams. The Lakers have won six of the last seven games and are in 11th place at 29-35.