Deron Williams
Encyclopedia
Deron Michael Williams nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball
player currently with the New Jersey Nets
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz
of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League
. Williams was drafted 3rd overall in the 2005 draft by the Utah Jazz, for whom he played before being traded in the middle of his sixth season to the Nets. He is a two-time All-Star and a gold medal winner at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Williams played college basketball
at the University of Illinois
.
in The Colony, Texas
and averaged 17 points, 9.4 assists, and 2 steals per game as a junior in 2001. That year he led his team, the Cougars, to a 32–2 record and the Class 5A state semifinals against Bryan High. In 2002, as a senior, he averaged 17.6 points, 8.5 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. His team, the Cougars, went 29–2 that season, losing the 5A Texas State semifinals. Williams was a teammate of Bracey Wright
who went on to play for Big Ten rival Indiana University.
at the University of Illinois for the 2002–03 NCAA season by Bill Self
. In his freshman year, he started 30 of 32 games and ranked third in the Big Ten Conference
in assists with 4.53 per game.
Bruce Weber
assumed the head coach position for the Illini in April 2003 and helped develop Williams throughout his remaining collegiate career. As a sophomore, Williams improved his scoring average from 6.3 to 14.0 points per game and improved his assists per game from the prior year to 6.17. Williams was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media.
In 2005, as a junior starting point guard, Williams led the Fighting Illini
to the NCAA
championship game
where they lost to the University of North Carolina
. That season saw the Illini go undefeated until the final game of the regular season, when they lost to Ohio State by one point. Illinois's road to the Final Four was marked by a comeback win over the Arizona Wildcats, where the Illini, led by Williams, came back from fifteen points down in the final minutes to win the game. Williams made the game-tying three-point shot with just 38.5 seconds left in regulation. He then hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime, and the Illini never looked back in that game.
Williams received many awards after the 2004–05 season. Those honors include being named a consensus Second Team All American, as well as being named First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, and All-Final Four team. Williams was also a finalist for the Wooden Award
and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Chicago Regional in the NCAA Tournament
. Williams was named First-Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2004 and as a junior in 2005, the year in which Williams, called by coach Bruce Weber "the MVP of the team", led the Illini to the Final Four. The team included four other future NBA players, including Dee Brown, Roger Powell
, James Augustine, and Luther Head
.
Williams declared for the NBA Draft after the 2005 season, forgoing his final year of collegiate eligibility.
. The Utah Jazz selected Williams with the third overall selection, after Andrew Bogut
and Marvin Williams
. He started the season coming off the bench, eventually moved into the role of starting point guard, and was later sent back to the bench. Williams finished his rookie season averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 assists per game, in 80 games played. Williams was rewarded by being named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, as well as being the only other rookie besides Chris Paul
to receive a first-place vote in the 2005–06 NBA Rookie of the Year voting (Williams received one first-place vote, from Jazz color commentator Ron Boone
). Williams and Chris Paul
have shared a friendly rivalry that began after the 2005 NBA Draft
, where Williams and Paul were the third and fourth selections overall. Whether Williams or Paul is the superior point guard is the subject of frequent debate among sports writers and fans.
, he recorded a career high 31 points. A few days later, on January 24, he recorded a career high 21 assists in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies
. In his second season, his numbers improved in almost all categories, increasing to 16.2 points and 9.3 assists per game (second only to Steve Nash in the NBA). The Jazz improved to post a 51–31 record, winning the Northwest Division title.
ended a three-year playoff drought for the Jazz, and in the first round, they faced the Houston Rockets
. Williams scored in double figures in each of the seven games in the series, including a 14 assist, 20 point double-double on May 5 to close out the series. The Jazz won the series 4–3, beating the Rockets in Houston to complete the series. It was their first playoff series victory since 2000.
In the second round, Williams and the Jazz faced the Golden State Warriors
, the eighth-seeded team that had upset the top seeded Dallas Mavericks
4–2 in the first round. Williams started off the series strong, posting double-doubles in two of the first four games as the Jazz jumped out to a 3–1 series lead. In the fifth game, Williams was plagued by foul problems and struggled from the floor, hitting only one of eleven shots from the field and scoring just two points. However, despite Williams's poor performance, the Jazz posted a 100–87 victory, sending the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1998 and the John Stockton
and Karl Malone
era.
The Jazz faced the eventual NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs
in the conference finals, a team led by Tim Duncan
who had posted three NBA championships since 1999. Williams played his best basketball of the season in the first three games, averaging nine assists and over thirty points over that span. Spurs guard Tony Parker
recognized Williams' effort after the Jazz won game three 109–83.
Spurs forward Bruce Bowen
also highlighted Williams' skills, as he compared Williams to the previous Jazz All-Star guard John Stockton
.
, although they ended up losing the game. He also had two 20-assist games on the season. He elevated all of his stats, improving to 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game, third in the league behind Chris Paul
and Steve Nash
. Despite his strong performance during the season, he was not selected to represent the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game, as the point guard position was filled by Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, and Chris Paul. Although he did not participate in the main event, he won the 2008 All-Star Skills Challenge.
Much was made of Williams's new leadership role on the team, and how he calls the majority of the plays on the team instead of coach Jerry Sloan
, something not even John Stockton
did. In March, Deron dished 212 assists, the most by any NBA player in any month since John Stockton in January 1992. The Jazz again won the Northwest Division and the four seed, this time with a 54–28 record, and again faced a Houston Rockets
team that had home-court advantage in the first round. However, the Jazz won the first two games in Houston and went on to win the series in six games. In the second round, the Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Williams was the leading scorer for the Jazz in the 2008 playoffs.
Deron was selected as a member of the USA Olympic team for the Beijing Olympics on June 23, 2008. The team went unbeaten on the way to winning back the gold medal
after defeating 2006 World Champion
Spain
and living up to their "Redeem Team" moniker after missing out in the 2004 Summer Olympics
.
and Andrei Kirilenko
), but despite averaging 19.2 ppg and 10.0 apg through the All-Star Break, he was again snubbed from the All-Star Game. Similar to the previous year, he responded to the snub with strong play, scoring 30+ points in five consecutive games before the break (he missed one additional game during this time due to a minor injury) and leading the team to a 5–2 record to close out the first half of the season, including a win over the league-leading Los Angeles Lakers
to snap their seven-game winning streak. They followed the All-Star Break with a win against the defending champion Boston Celtics
.
On March 1, 2009, Deron Williams became the second active player (Steve Nash being the other) to reach 20 or more assists in at least four games in their career.
won it back to back.
On January 28, 2010, Williams was named to participate in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This marked his All-Star debut. He was also invited to participate in the 2010 NBA Skills Challenge where he finished second to Steve Nash
.
Despite being overshadowed by other point guards Chris Paul
and Steve Nash
prior to the 2009-2010 season, for allstar recognition, notable basketball analyst and former player Kenny Smith
, and analyst and Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley
proclaimed Deron Williams to be the best point guard in the NBA.
and Mehmet Okur
, Deron Williams became just the second player in Utah Jazz history to record at least 30 points and 10 or more assists in a playoff game. John Stockton
is the only other Jazz player to accomplish said feat, doing so twice in his career. Williams scored 33 points on 7-14 shooting from the field while making 16-18 free throws from the line, while also contributing 14 assists on the road in a game 2 win against the Denver Nuggets. He repeated that feat later in series while scoring 34 points and dishing out 10 assists.
On April 28, Deron Williams became the first player in NBA history to record at least 20 points and 10 or more assists in five straight games in a playoff series. Williams points/assists through the first five games, in order, were 26/11, 33/14, 24/10, 24/13, and 34/10.
On February 23, 2011 Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets
for guard Devin Harris
, forward Derrick Favors
, two first round draft picks, and $3 million in cash. While Williams was under contract through with a player option worth $17.7 million for , Jazz chief executive officer Greg Miller did not believe they would be able to re-sign Williams. "And while I never saw any indication that he wouldn’t re-sign with us, I never saw any indication he would,” said Miller.
Williams' acquisition gives the Nets someone to build around when the team makes the transition to Brooklyn
. Though playing with a 3 year old wrist injury that progressively got worse and now causes him severe pain, Williams' impact on the Nets was immediately apparent in just 12 games, as a team the Nets were one of highest scoring teams post all-star break and Williams averaged 12.8 APG as a Net. His 47 assists were an NBA record for a player in his first 3 games with a new team and no Net before him recorded double doubles in their first 5 games with the team. On April 11, 2011, Williams had wrist surgery on his right wrist although he was initially hesitant to having it. "I was angry and tried to tell the doctors that I didn't want to have the surgery," Williams said. "The two doctors had me outvoted, two against one. I couldn't do anything about it. They told me that there was no reason to postpone it and if I didn't have it, I would be dealing with the same pain again."
, Williams signed a one-year contract for $5 million net income
to play for Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League
and Europe's third tier basketball level
, the FIBA EuroChallenge. His contract allowed him to return to the NBA with the Nets once the work stoppage ended. Beşiktaş was the same team that signed Allen Iverson
in 2010. Because Williams was still under an NBA contract, he required clearance from FIBA
in order to play elsewhere.
On November 22, 2011, Williams scored 50 points against Göttingen
, during a EuroChallenge game. In the game Williams went 17-23 from the field and 7-10 on three point attempts and 9-11 on free throws. After a tentative agreement to end the 2011 NBA lockout
was reached, Williams' jersey #8 was retired by Beşiktaş in a farewell ceremony prior to a game against Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden
on November 29, 2011. With Beşiktaş, Williams averaged 24.6 points and 6.0 assists per game, in 5 EuroChallenge games and 19.7 points and 6.4 assists a game in 7 games in the Turkish Basketball League.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 80 || 47 || 28.8 || .421 || .416 || .704 || 2.4 || 4.5 || .8 || .2 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 80 || 80 || 36.9 || .456 || .322 || .767 || 3.3 || 9.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 16.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 82 || 82 || 37.3 || .507 || .395 || .803 || 3.0 || 10.5 || 1.1 || .3 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 68 || 68 || 36.8 || .471 || .310 || .849 || 2.9 || 10.7 || 1.1 || .3 || 19.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 76 || 76 || 36.9 || .469 || .371 || .801 || 4.0 || 10.5 || 1.3 || .2 || 18.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 53 || 53 || 37.9 || .458 || .345 || .853 || 3.9 || 9.7 || 1.2 || .2 || 21.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey
| 12 || 12 || 38.0 || .349 || .271 || .793 || 4.6 || 12.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 15.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 451 || 418 || 35.7 || .463 || .355 || .808 || 3.2 || 9.2 || 1.1 || .2 || 17.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 2 || 0 || 23.0 || .444 || .429 || .000 || 3.0 || 6.5 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 9.5
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 17 || 17 || 38.6 || .452 || .333 || .790 || 4.3 || 8.6 || 1.5 || 0.2 || 19.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 12 || 12 || 42.8 || .492 || .500 || .773 || 3.6 || 10.0 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 5 || 5 || 42.2 || .414 || .360 || .829 || 3.8 || 10.8 || 1.8 || 0.4 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 10 || 10 || 39.8 || .450 || .392 || .802 || 2.7 || 10.3 || 1.0 || 0.4 || 24.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 44 || 44 || 40.4 || .458 || .402 || .796 || 3.7 || 9.6 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 21.1
Williams appeared as himself on the Disney Channel
show The Suite Life on Deck
during the season 3 episode Twister: Part 1 along with Dwight Howard
and Kevin Love
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player currently with the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League
Turkish Basketball League
The Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
. Williams was drafted 3rd overall in the 2005 draft by the Utah Jazz, for whom he played before being traded in the middle of his sixth season to the Nets. He is a two-time All-Star and a gold medal winner at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Williams played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
.
Early life and high school athletics
In elementary school and middle school, Williams won two state wrestling championships. In 1993, as an eight-year-old, he won the 67 lb. weight class Texas State championship. Four years later in 1997, he won the twelve-year-old 116 lb. weight class championship. Williams attended The Colony High SchoolThe Colony High School
The Colony High School , located in The Colony, Texas currently hosts grades 9 through 12. It is part of the Lewisville Independent School District. It was mentioned in Newsweeks 1,000 Best Schools in America. TCHS boasts several nationally known sports graduates.- History :The Colony High...
in The Colony, Texas
The Colony, Texas
The city is bordered on the west by Lewisville Lake and Lewisville, Texas, on the north and east by Frisco, Texas and on the south by Carrollton, Texas and Plano, Texas...
and averaged 17 points, 9.4 assists, and 2 steals per game as a junior in 2001. That year he led his team, the Cougars, to a 32–2 record and the Class 5A state semifinals against Bryan High. In 2002, as a senior, he averaged 17.6 points, 8.5 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. His team, the Cougars, went 29–2 that season, losing the 5A Texas State semifinals. Williams was a teammate of Bracey Wright
Bracey Wright
Bracey Wright is an American professional basketball player.-Amateur career:Wright attended Arbor Creek Middle School in Carrollton, TX and The Colony High School in The Colony, Texas. He was a former high school teammate of New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams...
who went on to play for Big Ten rival Indiana University.
College
Williams was recruited to play college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of Illinois for the 2002–03 NCAA season by Bill Self
Bill Self
Bill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....
. In his freshman year, he started 30 of 32 games and ranked third in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in assists with 4.53 per game.
Bruce Weber
Bruce Weber (coach)
Bruce Brett Weber is an American college basketball coach. Weber is the head coach of the University of Illinois men's basketball team...
assumed the head coach position for the Illini in April 2003 and helped develop Williams throughout his remaining collegiate career. As a sophomore, Williams improved his scoring average from 6.3 to 14.0 points per game and improved his assists per game from the prior year to 6.17. Williams was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media.
In 2005, as a junior starting point guard, Williams led the Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
to the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championship game
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
where they lost to the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. That season saw the Illini go undefeated until the final game of the regular season, when they lost to Ohio State by one point. Illinois's road to the Final Four was marked by a comeback win over the Arizona Wildcats, where the Illini, led by Williams, came back from fifteen points down in the final minutes to win the game. Williams made the game-tying three-point shot with just 38.5 seconds left in regulation. He then hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime, and the Illini never looked back in that game.
Williams received many awards after the 2004–05 season. Those honors include being named a consensus Second Team All American, as well as being named First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, and All-Final Four team. Williams was also a finalist for the Wooden Award
John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Chicago Regional in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. Williams was named First-Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2004 and as a junior in 2005, the year in which Williams, called by coach Bruce Weber "the MVP of the team", led the Illini to the Final Four. The team included four other future NBA players, including Dee Brown, Roger Powell
Roger Powell (basketball)
Roger Powell Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played collegiately at the University of Illinois from 2001–2005, after having attended Joliet High School, with a 2001 graduation. Powell played the forward position for his high school and in college...
, James Augustine, and Luther Head
Luther Head
Luther Dale Head is an American professional basketball player. Standing 6'3" and weighing 185 lb , Head plays primarily shooting guard but played small forward as a college basketball star at the University of Illinois.-High school:Head attended Manley Academy in Chicago where he averaged over...
.
Williams declared for the NBA Draft after the 2005 season, forgoing his final year of collegiate eligibility.
College statistics
| College | Year | GP | GS | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | FT% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 2002-03 | 32 | 30 | 6.3 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.2 | .426 | .533 | .354 |
| Illinois | 2003-04 | 30 | 30 | 14.0 | 3.2 | 6.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .408 | .787 | .394 |
| Illinois | 2004-05 | 39 | 39 | 12.6 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | .433 | .677 | .364 |
| Career | > 101 | 99 | 11.0 | 3.3 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | .422 | .685 | .374 |
Rookie season
Following the season, Williams declared for the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
. The Utah Jazz selected Williams with the third overall selection, after Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....
and Marvin Williams
Marvin Williams
Marvin Gaye Williams, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He currently is playing for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and is listed at 6' 9" and 240 pounds...
. He started the season coming off the bench, eventually moved into the role of starting point guard, and was later sent back to the bench. Williams finished his rookie season averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 assists per game, in 80 games played. Williams was rewarded by being named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, as well as being the only other rookie besides Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
to receive a first-place vote in the 2005–06 NBA Rookie of the Year voting (Williams received one first-place vote, from Jazz color commentator Ron Boone
Ron Boone
Ronald Bruce Boone is a retired American Basketball Association player.During his years at Tech High in North Omaha, Nebraska, Boone stood 6'2" and weighed 175 pounds....
). Williams and Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
have shared a friendly rivalry that began after the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
, where Williams and Paul were the third and fourth selections overall. Whether Williams or Paul is the superior point guard is the subject of frequent debate among sports writers and fans.
2006–07 season
Williams began the 2006–07 season as the starting point guard for the Jazz. The Jazz started the season with a 12–1 record. This record was the best in team history and in the league. During these first 13 games of the season Williams played remarkably well, delivering five double-doubles. Two of these double-doubles were back-to-back performances of 26/14 and 27/15 (points/assists). Both of these assists totals bested his previous career high. In the second of those two games, he also had a career high in steals, with five. On January 17, 2007, in a game against the Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, he recorded a career high 31 points. A few days later, on January 24, he recorded a career high 21 assists in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. In his second season, his numbers improved in almost all categories, increasing to 16.2 points and 9.3 assists per game (second only to Steve Nash in the NBA). The Jazz improved to post a 51–31 record, winning the Northwest Division title.
2007 Playoffs
The playoffs2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
ended a three-year playoff drought for the Jazz, and in the first round, they faced the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Williams scored in double figures in each of the seven games in the series, including a 14 assist, 20 point double-double on May 5 to close out the series. The Jazz won the series 4–3, beating the Rockets in Houston to complete the series. It was their first playoff series victory since 2000.
In the second round, Williams and the Jazz faced the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, the eighth-seeded team that had upset the top seeded Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
4–2 in the first round. Williams started off the series strong, posting double-doubles in two of the first four games as the Jazz jumped out to a 3–1 series lead. In the fifth game, Williams was plagued by foul problems and struggled from the floor, hitting only one of eleven shots from the field and scoring just two points. However, despite Williams's poor performance, the Jazz posted a 100–87 victory, sending the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1998 and the John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
era.
The Jazz faced the eventual NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the conference finals, a team led by Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
who had posted three NBA championships since 1999. Williams played his best basketball of the season in the first three games, averaging nine assists and over thirty points over that span. Spurs guard Tony Parker
Tony Parker
William Anthony "Tony" Parker is a French professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA....
recognized Williams' effort after the Jazz won game three 109–83.
Spurs forward Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'7", 200-lb. Bowen played small forward and graduated from Edison High School and Cal State Fullerton...
also highlighted Williams' skills, as he compared Williams to the previous Jazz All-Star guard John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
.
2007–08 season
Deron Williams again elevated his play during his third season in the NBA. He scored a career high 41 points on December 8, 2007 in a game against the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, although they ended up losing the game. He also had two 20-assist games on the season. He elevated all of his stats, improving to 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game, third in the league behind Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
and Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. Despite his strong performance during the season, he was not selected to represent the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game, as the point guard position was filled by Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, and Chris Paul. Although he did not participate in the main event, he won the 2008 All-Star Skills Challenge.
Much was made of Williams's new leadership role on the team, and how he calls the majority of the plays on the team instead of coach Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
, something not even John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
did. In March, Deron dished 212 assists, the most by any NBA player in any month since John Stockton in January 1992. The Jazz again won the Northwest Division and the four seed, this time with a 54–28 record, and again faced a Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
team that had home-court advantage in the first round. However, the Jazz won the first two games in Houston and went on to win the series in six games. In the second round, the Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Williams was the leading scorer for the Jazz in the 2008 playoffs.
Deron was selected as a member of the USA Olympic team for the Beijing Olympics on June 23, 2008. The team went unbeaten on the way to winning back the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
after defeating 2006 World Champion
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
Spain
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
and living up to their "Redeem Team" moniker after missing out in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
2008–09 season
Deron Williams missed thirteen of the first fifteen games of the season due to a second-degree ankle sprain sustained in the preseason against the Chicago Bulls. He returned November 26 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Since that time, he has led the team through an up-and-down season plagued by injuries to several key players (most notably Carlos BoozerCarlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association...
and Andrei Kirilenko
Andrei Kirilenko (basketball)
Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko is a Russian-American professional basketball player who plays at the small forward position for the CSKA Moscow in the Russian Professional Basketball League. He also plays for the Russia national basketball team...
), but despite averaging 19.2 ppg and 10.0 apg through the All-Star Break, he was again snubbed from the All-Star Game. Similar to the previous year, he responded to the snub with strong play, scoring 30+ points in five consecutive games before the break (he missed one additional game during this time due to a minor injury) and leading the team to a 5–2 record to close out the first half of the season, including a win over the league-leading Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
to snap their seven-game winning streak. They followed the All-Star Break with a win against the defending champion Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
On March 1, 2009, Deron Williams became the second active player (Steve Nash being the other) to reach 20 or more assists in at least four games in their career.
2009–10 season
On December 14, 2009, Williams was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. A week after his teammate and pick and roll partner Carlos Boozer, was named The Western Conference Player of the Week. The Jazz hadn't had consecutive Western Conference Player of the Week Awards since 1997, when Karl MaloneKarl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
won it back to back.
On January 28, 2010, Williams was named to participate in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
2010 NBA All-Star Game
The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game between players selected from the National Basketball Association 's Western Conference and the Eastern Conference that was played on February 14, 2010 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. This game was the 59th edition...
at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This marked his All-Star debut. He was also invited to participate in the 2010 NBA Skills Challenge where he finished second to Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
.
Despite being overshadowed by other point guards Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
and Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
prior to the 2009-2010 season, for allstar recognition, notable basketball analyst and former player Kenny Smith
Kenny Smith
Kenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...
, and analyst and Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
proclaimed Deron Williams to be the best point guard in the NBA.
2010 playoffs
Despite playing with injuries to his wrist and ankle, and playing without starters Andrei KirilenkoAndrei Kirilenko (basketball)
Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko is a Russian-American professional basketball player who plays at the small forward position for the CSKA Moscow in the Russian Professional Basketball League. He also plays for the Russia national basketball team...
and Mehmet Okur
Mehmet Okur
Mehmet Murat Okur is a Turkish professional basketball player who currently plays for Türk Telekom B.K.. He is also under contract with the Utah Jazz of the NBA, and can return to that team when the 2011 NBA lockout ends...
, Deron Williams became just the second player in Utah Jazz history to record at least 30 points and 10 or more assists in a playoff game. John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
is the only other Jazz player to accomplish said feat, doing so twice in his career. Williams scored 33 points on 7-14 shooting from the field while making 16-18 free throws from the line, while also contributing 14 assists on the road in a game 2 win against the Denver Nuggets. He repeated that feat later in series while scoring 34 points and dishing out 10 assists.
On April 28, Deron Williams became the first player in NBA history to record at least 20 points and 10 or more assists in five straight games in a playoff series. Williams points/assists through the first five games, in order, were 26/11, 33/14, 24/10, 24/13, and 34/10.
2010–11 season
After Sloan resigned mid-season on February 7, 2011, he denied reports that conflicts with Williams forced him to leave. "I forced myself out," Sloan responded. Williams acknowledged he had a disagreement with Sloan during the previous night's game, but he added, "I would never force coach Sloan out of Utah. He's meant more to this town, more to this organization than I have by far. I would have asked out of Utah first."On February 23, 2011 Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for guard Devin Harris
Devin Harris
Devin Lamar Harris is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Harris attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
, forward Derrick Favors
Derrick Favors
Derrick Bernard Favors is an American basketball player for the Utah Jazz. He is a power forward who played for Georgia Tech. On June 24, 2010, he was drafted 3rd overall by the New Jersey Nets of the NBA....
, two first round draft picks, and $3 million in cash. While Williams was under contract through with a player option worth $17.7 million for , Jazz chief executive officer Greg Miller did not believe they would be able to re-sign Williams. "And while I never saw any indication that he wouldn’t re-sign with us, I never saw any indication he would,” said Miller.
Williams' acquisition gives the Nets someone to build around when the team makes the transition to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Though playing with a 3 year old wrist injury that progressively got worse and now causes him severe pain, Williams' impact on the Nets was immediately apparent in just 12 games, as a team the Nets were one of highest scoring teams post all-star break and Williams averaged 12.8 APG as a Net. His 47 assists were an NBA record for a player in his first 3 games with a new team and no Net before him recorded double doubles in their first 5 games with the team. On April 11, 2011, Williams had wrist surgery on his right wrist although he was initially hesitant to having it. "I was angry and tried to tell the doctors that I didn't want to have the surgery," Williams said. "The two doctors had me outvoted, two against one. I couldn't do anything about it. They told me that there was no reason to postpone it and if I didn't have it, I would be dealing with the same pain again."
2011 NBA lockout
During the 2011 NBA lockout2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Williams signed a one-year contract for $5 million net income
Net income
Net income is the residual income of a firm after adding total revenue and gains and subtracting all expenses and losses for the reporting period. Net income can be distributed among holders of common stock as a dividend or held by the firm as an addition to retained earnings...
to play for Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League
Turkish Basketball League
The Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
and Europe's third tier basketball level
European professional club basketball system
The European professional club basketball system or European professional club basketball pyramid is a series of interconnected competitions for professional basketball clubs in Europe. The system has a hierarchical format with a promotion and demotion system between competitions at different levels...
, the FIBA EuroChallenge. His contract allowed him to return to the NBA with the Nets once the work stoppage ended. Beşiktaş was the same team that signed Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
in 2010. Because Williams was still under an NBA contract, he required clearance from FIBA
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
in order to play elsewhere.
On November 22, 2011, Williams scored 50 points against Göttingen
BG Göttingen
BG Göttingen is a German basketball club based in Göttingen, Niedersachsen . In 2010, the club won the EuroChallenge against Krasnye Krylya Samara from Russia...
, during a EuroChallenge game. In the game Williams went 17-23 from the field and 7-10 on three point attempts and 9-11 on free throws. After a tentative agreement to end the 2011 NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
was reached, Williams' jersey #8 was retired by Beşiktaş in a farewell ceremony prior to a game against Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden
Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden
Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden is a basketball club based in Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands that plays in the Netherland's 1st Division DBL. Their home games are played at Vijf Meihal . Leiden is the current Dutch basketball champion.-Trophies:...
on November 29, 2011. With Beşiktaş, Williams averaged 24.6 points and 6.0 assists per game, in 5 EuroChallenge games and 19.7 points and 6.4 assists a game in 7 games in the Turkish Basketball League.
Awards and honors
- NBA All-StarNBA All-StarNBA All-Star may refer to:*NBA All-Star Weekend*NBA All-Star Game*List of NBA All-Stars, players who have been selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game...
: 2010, 2011 - All-NBA TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
: - Second Team: 2008, 2010
- NBA All-Rookie First TeamNBA All-Rookie TeamThe NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
: 2006 - NBA Skills ChallengeSkills ChallengeThe Taco Bell Skills Challenge is a National Basketball Association contest held on the Saturday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend. First debuted in 2003, it is a competition among guards. In this contest, participant first shoots a layup...
Champion: 2008 - Gold medal with Team USA, FIBA Americas Championship 2007
- Gold medal with Team USA, 2008 Summer Olympic Games
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 80 || 47 || 28.8 || .421 || .416 || .704 || 2.4 || 4.5 || .8 || .2 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 80 || 80 || 36.9 || .456 || .322 || .767 || 3.3 || 9.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 16.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 82 || 82 || 37.3 || .507 || .395 || .803 || 3.0 || 10.5 || 1.1 || .3 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 68 || 68 || 36.8 || .471 || .310 || .849 || 2.9 || 10.7 || 1.1 || .3 || 19.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 76 || 76 || 36.9 || .469 || .371 || .801 || 4.0 || 10.5 || 1.3 || .2 || 18.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 53 || 53 || 37.9 || .458 || .345 || .853 || 3.9 || 9.7 || 1.2 || .2 || 21.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 12 || 12 || 38.0 || .349 || .271 || .793 || 4.6 || 12.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 15.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 451 || 418 || 35.7 || .463 || .355 || .808 || 3.2 || 9.2 || 1.1 || .2 || 17.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 2 || 0 || 23.0 || .444 || .429 || .000 || 3.0 || 6.5 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 9.5
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 17 || 17 || 38.6 || .452 || .333 || .790 || 4.3 || 8.6 || 1.5 || 0.2 || 19.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 12 || 12 || 42.8 || .492 || .500 || .773 || 3.6 || 10.0 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 5 || 5 || 42.2 || .414 || .360 || .829 || 3.8 || 10.8 || 1.8 || 0.4 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 10 || 10 || 39.8 || .450 || .392 || .802 || 2.7 || 10.3 || 1.0 || 0.4 || 24.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 44 || 44 || 40.4 || .458 || .402 || .796 || 3.7 || 9.6 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 21.1
Career highs
- Points
- EuroChallengeEuroChallengeThe EuroChallenge is the 3rd tier level transnational men's professional club basketball competition in Europe. It is organized and run by FIBA Europe...
- 50 vs. BG GöttingenBG GöttingenBG Göttingen is a German basketball club based in Göttingen, Niedersachsen . In 2010, the club won the EuroChallenge against Krasnye Krylya Samara from Russia...
, November 22, 2011 - Regular season - 42 vs. Oklahoma City ThunderOklahoma City ThunderThe Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
, April 6, 2010 - Playoffs - 34 (twice) at San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, May 20, 2007 and at Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, April 28, 2010
- EuroChallenge
- Assists - 21 (twice) vs. Memphis GrizzliesMemphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, January 24, 2007 and vs Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, April 5, 2011 - Rebounds - 9 vs. Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, February 10, 2010 - Steals - 5, four times (first time: at Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, November 11, 2006) - Blocks - 3, three times (first time: at Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, November 25, 2007) - Minutes - 54, vs. Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
,
Personal
Williams was baptized as a Christian early 2010.Williams appeared as himself on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
show The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
during the season 3 episode Twister: Part 1 along with Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
and Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
.