Before Saturday's practice, Deron Williams talked about how he's feeling better, that he's getting back to where he wants to be, that it's a process. Not on Saturday. He let it all about with a string comments that can only be translated as "you ain't seen nothin' yet."
Start with this...
"This is the NBA, but before my injuries, I didn't feel like anybody could stop me 1-on-1. I just feel like if you put one person on me, it's gonna be hard to stop me, and I'm getting back to that.
"I'm getting that confidence back where I step on the court and I feel like people can't guard me. Like I said, I had some explosive moves where I haven't been able to do that in a long time, and I could tell, even watching film, that I'm a lot quicker out there."
It's all about his health, he says, specifically his ankles....
"I was never healthy last year, the whole year. There was never a point last year where I was healthy. I just don't like talking to y'all about my health. That's why I don't want to talk to you all now about my health. I would like to put my health behind me and move on to bigger and better things.
"I don't want a pity party or anyone to feel sorry for me, that's not what it's about. Nobody will know what I went through the last few years -- physically, mentally, it was definitely a strain.
"I don’t know how I finished last year, honestly. They were so bad last year."
Now, he says, he has motivation, about making up for lost time, about proving something to the doubters and haters.
"But it makes you stronger, it makes you immune to people talking bad about you. I'm excited about this year and I'm trying to put those last two years behind me. They weren't how I wanted to start my time in Brooklyn. But it is what it is, and now I can move forward."
Nor is he alone. Here's what Amare Stoudemire said of D-Will after watching run circles around whoever the Knicks sent out to guard him.
"I’ve been him playing against him for a long time, and that’s the D-Will I remember from when I was out west."
Ultimately, Williams scored 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 2-of-3 from the arc, handed out six assists and, yes, generally looked like the best player on the court ... and that includes a guy who just signed a $125 million contract.
Williams will lead the Nets against the young Orlando Magic Sunday at 3:30.
- Healthy D-Will: People can't guard me - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Deron Williams recapturing his Utah swagger with Nets - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
-
Nets’ Deron Williams back on his game - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- This is the Deron Williams the Nets expected to see - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Nets rewind: What’s Deron Williams’ new ceiling? - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Early Perceptions of Knicks and Nets Create Differing Realities - Larry Fleisher - XN Sports