A name and an identity seem important to Jay Williams, the Duke guard whom the Bulls hope to select with the second pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft.
Williams’ given name is Jason, and he had been known by that name until he declared himself for the NBA draft and decided he didn’t want to be confused with Jayson Williams, the former New Jersey Nets forward now charged with manslaughter, and Jason Williams, the Memphis Grizzlies guard who had drug suspensions in college and drug issues when he was with the Sacramento Kings.
But when one talks to NBA executives about Jay Williams, the names one most often hears are Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, Kevin Johnson and Tim Hardaway.
They all are good NBA names, all point guards who have been All-Stars. The Bulls haven’t had one of those in decades. Interviews with more than a half-dozen NBA executives about Williams produced comparisions to those point guards. They are big NBA names, but something all have in common is that none has been an NBA champion, and most never have been big NBA winners.
Everyone interviewed lauded Williams’ talent and ability and said they would pick him No. 1 or No. 2 in the draft. But some also wondered aloud how far one gets in the NBA with a scoring-oriented point guard like Williams.
“He’s one of the few players in this draft who can have an immediate impact,” Milwaukee general manager Ernie Grunfeld said. “He has great character, good leadership, he comes from a great program and has played in big games his whole career. And produced in big games. He has great speed, quickness, athleticism. I see him in the Steve Francis mold. He’ll make plays and score when you need it.”
Orlando Magic general manager John Gabriel sees some likeness to MVP candidate Jason Kidd, but more to Marbury.
“He has the ability with the ball. He’s Jason Kidd-type dangerous,” Gabriel said. “He can get it to other people and knows how to keep his dribble. He’s always looking to drive it down your throat and make something happen. It isn’t every day in this league that your point guard is your best offensive player. He will be. With the eight-second clock [in the backcourt] and zone defenses, he’s a wonderful guy to be the first guy with the ball in his hands. I think he’s better with the ball than Marbury was when he came into the league, a better scorer than Marbury.”
Asked with whom he might most compare Williams, Gabriel thought some and said, “How about KJ (Kevin Johnson) in his prime?”
Which also raises the biggest question among NBA executives about Williams: Will players want to play with him?
Some of the most unpopular teammates in the NBA have been shoot-first point guards such as Johnson, Marbury and Hardaway. When asked about Williams, some team officials also mentioned Sam Cassell or Kenny Anderson. The Bucks were ineffective when Cassell couldn’t play, but he also frustrated teammates and coaches with his scoring approach to point guard.
It raises some questions about how Williams will fit with Jalen Rose, who suffered with the Indiana Pacers when shots went away from him. But one league executive wondered about the Bulls’ 2001 draft picks.
“This guy is going to be `the man,'” said one top scout. “I don’t expect [Tyson] Chandler and [Eddy] Curry to be happy with him. Like Steve Francis–and that’s not bad–he’s going to take his 20 shots. He’s powerful, a good player. I like him and I’d take him. But he’s not one of those guys, like Kidd or [John] Stockton or Magic [Johnson]. They are point guards who look to get the ball back [from someone] to score. This kid scores and then gets the ball to people off his ability to score. I heard [Mike] Dunleavy didn’t particularly like playing with him [at Duke].”
Of course, that sounds a little like a guard the Bulls had before, named Michael Jordan, who didn’t care to pass that much and wasn’t exactly the most favorite teammate. But everyone liked the victories he helped produce. And the Bulls would rather see Williams in parades than having enough friends for one.
There also has been the question about Williams’ size, barely above 6 feet without shoes. But one executive mentioned Hardaway, noting Williams is strong and tough and that then, as with Hardaway, size doesn’t matter as much.
“I like Williams a lot,” Indiana President Donnie Walsh said. “He creates his own plays with a lot of confidence. He shoots from the outside, takes it to the goal, makes plays. We’ll see if he can defend, but you really have to be in the pros to learn. He has all the skills necessary for the point and is a great athlete, a Marbury-type athlete.”
Surely a good name. The Bulls hope Jay Williams will be a great name.
