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What I Did on My Summer Vacation
Topics: Olympics, Deron Williams, basketball, FIBA
Posted by DougAnderson Wed Oct 3, 2007 09:18:28 MDT
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Las Vegas, Nevada (September 30, 2007) -- On a recent Southwest Airlines flight, I found myself seated in front of an energetic juvenile passenger, yelling at his PSP and kicking my seat the 10-year old boy very easily could have been Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams thirteen years ago.

 

This summer Deron and his Team USA teammates were in Las Vegas at an international basketball tournament.  No Circus Circus or late night Danny Ghan shows, this team is trying to earn a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympiad part of the FIBA Americas Championship.

 

With Bill Russell joining 7000 fans inside Thomas & Mack Arena who were mostly there to see the Kobe show.  Deron among them. 

 

“I just wanted to have an impact on this team whether it’s playing five minutes or thirty minutes,” said Deron.

 

Deron had a nice view from the bench; a first for the second year Utah Jazz player who has the personality of a gym rat.  Most games Deron had a John Thompson-like accessory towel draped over his right shoulder.

 

“Kind of brought me back to my rookie year a little bit,” said Deron, “but I was sitting behind good company, so I can’t really complain.”

 

I watched from press row as Deron lead Team USA to two weekend wins:  113-63 over Canada and 113-76 over Brazil.

 

“I don’t know if we can be any better,” said LeBron of the Globetrotter-like performance. 

 

It seemed like a playground of ‘We Got Next.’  International rules.  Basket interference allowed.  The basketball yellow and natural paneled.  Team USA doing the schooling.

 

“We shoot the ball extremely well, we rebound extremely well, and we play defense.  Anything you want in a team we’ve been able to do that for the most part the whole tournament,” said LeBron.

 

Team USA is now 35-0 all-time in Olympic qualifying tournaments.

 

“Even sitting on the bench much of the time was okay,” Deron said. “It was a great experience for me.  I learned a lot.”

 

Limited minutes but great lessons were taught for the back-up point guard.

 

“That’s my son,” said Jason Kidd of Deron.  Not quite brothers in the backyard, the former is the latter’s boyhood basketball idol and a gold medalist from the Sydney Olympics.  Deron teasingly refers to the 34-year old New Jersey Nets point guard as “Dad.”

 

“Playing with some of the best players in the world and to be 23-years old and doing this is definitely fulfilling for me,” said Deron. 

 

A refreshing point of view from today’s professional athlete.  When announced at center court, Deron actually shook hands with the officials and joined his teammates in giving complimentary Team USA caps to their competitors. 

 

Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Deron, his brother and Mom moved to Texas. 

 

“She’s a good person,” said Deron of his Mom, Denise Smith.  “She loves me and my little brother a lot.”

 

His Dad was absent early in his life.  His Mom played collegiately at West Liberty State College; it was she who taught him the “passing over points” philosophy.  The University of Illinois part of his future, an NCAA Championship and the #3 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft.  And now the chance to become an Olympian. 

 

“It’s an honor and a privilege to put on this jersey, Deron said.

 

A white, oversized Nike #7, Deron jostled with Carmelo Anthony during the pre-game shoot around.  He’s having fun but Coach Mike Krzyzewski sees something special.

 

“He’s an emerging great player, a very good ball handler and very mature at a young age,” said Coach K, who was also Deron’s Jazz teammate Carlos Boozer’s college coach. 

 

“It helps to play for Jerry (Sloan).  He plays for one of the great coaches of all time.  “He knows the game, he’s competitive and he plays against Kidd and Billups everyday so that helps him.”

 

For one summer vacation, Deron competed with the best.  He was third in total assists when the tournament ended.

Deron Distributes the Ball

1)	Pablo Prigioni	Arg	63	6.3 APG
2)	LeBron James	USA	47	4.7 APG
3)	Carlos Arroyo	Pur	46	4.6 APG
	Valter Da Silva	Bra	46	4.6 APG
	Jason Kidd	USA	46	4.6 APG
	Deron Williams	USA	46	4.6 APG

 

So what about next summer, when the Olympic team is selected?

 

“I really don’t know,” said Deron.  “I hope so but I don’t know what direction it will go.”

 

That decision will be decided by Team USA General Manager, Jerry Colangelo, and Coach K.

 

A writer with the Associated Press tells me Deron should make Olympic team yet others say there may not be a need for him AND and Billups.  Dwayne Wade will also likely back next year.  And there’s Chris Paul and Kirk Henrich.

 

“Hopefully I’ve proved myself this year and I’ll keep trying to do the same thing next year.”

 

Gold is the goal in Beijing for the man with the size 13 shoe.  And it shouldn't surprise anyone to learn the face fuzz, preference for strawberry ice cream and his interest in movies is a lot like the teenager who sat behind me on flight #590 from Salt Lake City.

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The next Summer Olympiad is scheduled for August 8, 2008, in Beijing, China.  Other Jazz notables with an interest include: Andrei Kirilenko (Russia), Mehmet Oku (Turkey) and Carlos Boozer (USA).

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Comment From: Kate

Hi Don, Each week in the print version of TheJHub that runs in the Idaho State Journal, we feature content that users have posted to TheJHub.com. I was hoping we could use this article in one of our upcoming editions of the print version. We would run your name, and do some light editing (just spelling and grammar, really). Shoot me an e-mail at kcarpenter@journalnet.com and let me know if that’s ok with you. Thanks so much, Kate