Everyone knows the Deron Williams era with the Utah Jazz didn’t end well. Jazz fans know that all too well, even if they have since forgiven D-Will for how it all turned out. However, Williams admitted something that contradicts the most common negative Jazz narrative: He was excited to start his NBA career in Utah.
During his appearance on “Out the Mud,” Williams explained why he was quite excited when he was selected by Utah with the third pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
“That was probably where I wanted to land. I felt like it was the best situation basketball-wise because it’s not often that you’re the third pick in the draft and you go to a team that has talent,” Williams said.
Williams then selected some of his former teammates to join when the Jazz called him up, such as Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko and Matt Harpring. When you think about it, that team really lucked out after an injury-riddled season and just needed a center.
Ergo, D-Will…
Williams was excited not only about the Jazz, but also about Utah itself
There is some validity to the claim that players don’t want to play in Utah. Williams himself admitted that he was excited to play for a team like the Jazz because they already had all the makings of a playoff team. However, Williams added that it wasn’t just Jazz he was excited about, but Utah as a state.
“I was actually happy to end up in Utah. Plus, I had a kid. I had a girlfriend. So it was a good situation for someone like me to go to. It’s not a party town, you know. Keep it straight, you know. Good place to raise a family. So yeah, I loved it,” Williams said.
Williams has previously praised Utah and, as we last checked, he still owns real estate in it. Even if it didn’t end well, it clearly left an impression on him.
Williams even singled out Jerry Sloan
Although Williams and Sloan had a well-documented strained relationship, Williams went out of his way to say that playing under Sloan’s tutelage was best for his career.
“[It was] the best for my career and for me as a player. And I think going to that team and playing for Coach Sloan was the best thing for me,” Williams said.
The real shame of it is that had Williams stayed, his legacy would have been good enough to earn his name a place in the rafters. Maybe that’s not out of the question, and there’s a reason why many have been pushing for the Jazz to get a D-Will replacement.
That wasn’t just because of how good he was, but because he has embraced Utah for more than two decades.
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