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The 6-2, 180-pound Louis Williams was taken in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Jumping straight from high school to the pros, Williams was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia as a junior and a senior. He went to South Gwinnett high school and in four years his team went 103-16. He's a talented kid who is putting his heart and soul into his development. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner recently met with Louis in Madison Square Garden for an exclusive interview.

InsideHoops.com: Going back to around 2005 NBA Draft time, and even earlier than that, you made it clear to the world that no matter what, you were going to claw your way into the NBA.

Louis Williams: Draft time was interesting for me personally, because I never slighted myself with confidence. I never didn't believe in the things that I could do as a basketball player. And plus, I always kept in mind that I always knew what I wanted to do with myself. I know what the next step was going to be for me in my life. Other people looking on the outside looking in, everybody has plenty of opinions. And I was the only person that knew what I wanted to do. So I always worked hard, just kept pushing it, kept pushing it, until somebody picked me.

InsideHoops.com: And so you got drafted, but it was second round, so you had to keep fighting, and you still have to keep fighting. How's the summer and this current preseason time been for you?

Louis Williams: It's been a great experience. I couldn't see myself with a better fit, with Allen (Iverson) and Kyle (Korver) and Andre (Iguodala), just a young core of guys. It's just been great for me. They responded well to me. Sixers organization been great to me. They've given me all the opportunities in the world, to better myself, better my game, so I'm just excited to be here.

InsideHoops.com: During your high school senior year, and coming into the NBA, the player you were being compared to, and the player you told me a few months ago that you wanted to be like, is Allen Iverson. So now you get to play alongside him and against him in practice.

Louis Williams: It's like a roller coaster ride. One day he's coming at you one way, and the next day he has a completely different angle. It's just been fun for me to be able to go against him every play down, defensively and offensively.

InsideHoops.com: So now we're here in preseason. How's it been?

Louis Williams: It's fun. Every second, moment I get, I'm just trying to prove that I deserve to be here, and hopefully the Sixers organization keep me around instead of the D-League thing, but every opportunity I get I'm just going to try to prove myself.

InsideHoops.com: Have they said to you that you may go down to the D-League?

Louis Williams: Actually, it's not really been a talk, because like I said, I told the organization early on that I didn't come out of high school to go to the D-League. And at the same time, coach Cheeks is like, well, here's your opportunity to work hard to keep you here. So there you have it. He's put any and every opportunity on the table for me, and I just have to take advantage of it.

InsideHoops.com: And as for your current NBA skills, what do you think is ready, and what needs time and development?

Louis Williams: I've always been able to score the ball. But now I got to start working on my decision-making. I got to learn the ins and outs of the rules. The 24-second shot clock, things I haven't had to deal with up until this point. I just got to sharpen up on those things.

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