In 2011, Derrick Williams was eye to eye with Kyrie Irving in terms of being in the conversation for the number one overall pick.
It could have been a smokescreen or it may have been legitimate. But Williams definitely held much promise when he came out of Arizona.
Five seasons have already passed, and the athletic forward still couldn’t seem to find his niche in the league. His numbers have been steady, but they aren’t spectacular. In fact, his production is very replaceable.
Now in South Beach, his new home, Derrick Williams hopes to finally breakout. In Ira Winderman’s recent piece for Sun-Sentinel.com, the former Timberwolf, King, and Knick revealed the reason why he joined the Heat.
“I've had five coaches in two seasons alone. So it's hard to be consistent when I've never really had a consistent head coach.”
“I felt I wanted to go to an organization that was a lot more stable. And I felt like the Heat was a perfect opportunity not only for myself, but the things that I do well.”
“I felt like the Heat was a perfect opportunity for things that I do well. And with Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, with their absence, I felt like that was the best spot for me to go, with the way the way that I've played.”
The usual knock on him is for being a “tweener”. But in Miami, Williams sees a golden opportunity for him to make a name for himself. The Heat will play fast and Williams will finish strong.
“That's the reason why I came here. With Spoelstra, Pat Riley, they have a history of developing players and people like myself that haven't found that right opportunity yet, looking at players like myself that can thrive in the position-less basketball.”
Follow Us
Subscribe