Deron Williams Interview
By InsideHoops.com | Nov. 10, 2005
From the University of Illinois, Deron Williams was taken third in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. The 6-3, 210-pound point guard has played five games in the short NBA season and is averaging 10.4 points and 3.0 assists in limited minutes off the bench. InsideHoops.com met with him yesterday for a quick exclusive interview.
InsideHoops.com: How's the season and your adjustment to the NBA?
Deron Williams: It's going pretty well. I'm just trying to get as comfortable as I can running the offense and playing with my teammates.
InsideHoops.com: What's the biggest difference between being a point in the NBA vs. college?
Deron Williams: Just the speed of the game, the shot clock, dealing with those kinds of things.
InsideHoops.com: Talk about Andrei Kirilenko. He fills the stat sheet across the board.
Deron Williams: That's the one thing that you look at. Even if he doesn't shoot well, you look at the stat sheet and he's got 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, five blocks, five steals. Just across the board, he fills it up.
InsideHoops.com: And Mehmet Okur, he's off to an incredible start.
Deron Williams: I think with (Carlos) Boozer out we need another scorer. Memo's stepped up to the challenge, just came out shooting the ball well and playing well.
InsideHoops.com: And as for your own game, what's working well for you, and what needs improvement?
Deron Williams: I think I just need to limit my turnovers, and get my assist/turnover ratio up. I think that's the main thing. As far as what I'm doing well, I think I'm pushing the ball pretty well in transition and controlling the flow of the game.
InsideHoops.com: How much have you paid attention to the rest of the league and what other guys are doing?
Deron Williams: It's hard, you travel so much you don't really get to watch much TV. It's tough.
InsideHoops.com: You must have had a lot more time to watch NBA ball in college.
Deron Williams: Ah yeah, a lot more. You're on the road three, four nights out of the week. So, it's tough.
InsideHoops.com: Missing anything about college?
Deron Williams: I don't miss class.
InsideHoops.com: (Sarcastically) You don't miss waking up at 8am every day or whatever?
Deron Williams: Not at all. I like having practice two hours a day, and being done after that.
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