Don't call it a comeback

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 20, 2006 11:36 PM CST in News

If Jay Williams ever plays another NBA game, I'll eat my proverbial hat.

Until then, I don't want to hear about how he's trying out for whichever team. What 'percentage' he is at relative to full strength, or relative to his actually being back in the league. He is done, until proven otherwise. From what we all read at the time of his accident, it's a hell of a story that he's able to walk again. If he does come back it'd be a feel-good addition to that story, but until I see it I refuse to believe any of it.

The Williams comeback speculation hasn't been reported much in the mainstream, but has served as blog and forum fodder since before the season. Brian McCormick's blog , for instance, is a recommended read (an actual basketball coach, so he undoubtedly knows more than most of us chump bloggers), but man, enough of the Jay Williams 'updates':

Read the post from the end of last August, as McCormick mentions all the point guards signed in the offseason and comes away wondering why Jay Williams didnt' get a call:

Now, I doubt Jay Williams will get back to 100%. However, at 100%, he was the best guard to come out of college in a decade. He says he is back to 75% and can do everything he could do, except dunk. So, if 100% made him a lock for several all-star game appearances, 75% has to be better than some starting PGs in the league, not to mention the back-ups.

Nevermind the several-all-star-games 'lock' (Bulls fans would know how far-fetched that statement is), the rhetorical questions abound throughout: Isn't Williams better than so-and-so? Isn't he less of a risk than that-other-injured-guy?

It's been continuing this whole season:

9/2/05: "I was happy to see that the Jazz resigned Keith McLeaod (sic) and added Milt Palacios (double sic) to presumaly back-up Deron Williams at the point. However, anybody think Jay Williams has more to offer than Pilacios or McLeaod? Maybe the Raptors will make a run at Jay Williams now that every effort it has made to sign a point guard has been r e-buffed (Duhon, McLeaod, etc.).Note to the Raptors: Take the risk."

1/31/06: "Williams, if he is 90% (heard he is a little rusty, but one report said the only visible difference is a calf sleeve and ankle brace), is a heck of a bargain and an upgrade from Jason Hart."

2/1/06: "With Fisher's ability to play some 2, would Jay Williams' signing offset the loss of, say, Pietrus who many teams (Indiana) supposedly covet?"

2/16/06: "He apparently has some work to do on his rehab, but Williams at 85% is still better than Eric Snow, right?"

Mr. McCormick, are you Jay Williams' agent?

I have not read a single quotation of an NBA talent evaluator (not that such a quote doesn't exist) who has said that Jay Williams is ready to be back in the league. Has anything changed since last July, when Williams (and backed up by trainer-of-the-stars Tim Grover, no less!) said, "I'll be somewhere by October"?

It all just seems like Williams' people tells whoever wants to listen that Jay is up for roster spots all around the league. In Toronto (In September!), or Golden State. People got excited once that he'd return to the Bulls.

But where is he now? Some rec league for Goldman Sachs, as I've read at McCormick's blog and my own. People joke about seeing draft prospects only in European league games, and we're all supposed to believe Jay Williams is ready based on his Goldman Sachs box scores?

If any GM thought he was ready, he'd be on a team. If Jay Williams thought he was ready, he'd be in a minor league proving it. Why not play for someone who's opinion matters in the league, not some buddies happy to spread tales of his upper-body strength? See if the Arkansas Rim-Rockers or Florida Flame will take a flyer, or the scores of ABA and CBA teams out there.

He is becoming like Dennis Rodman, getting his name out so we don't forget it, making up tryouts and interest. What really gets me is that his name alone seems enough for some fan to holler why his team isn't giving him a chance. Why should Jay Williams get a chance before fellow diminutive ACC product Will Bynum, who's leading the NBA D-League in scoring? It's an insult to guys working on their games in the basketball outposts, not to mention those fringe players at the end of their respective NBA rosters who've at least at one point proved they belonged, which is more than can be said for Williams during his 'comeback'.

No, once being the #2 pick is enough to get all excited, I suppose. But in my mind, thanks to an irresponsible lack of good judgement we might as well be talking about a completely different person. The draft status is a long memory, and right now I'd put my money on fellow #2 pick Darko Milicic being less of a bust than Jay Williams.

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Comments

Speaking of Jay

He was one of the announcers on ESPN's coverage of the Xavier/Dayton game tonight. Brief mention in passing of "when he comes back" but I didn't see the beginning of the game to hear how he joined the accouncing crew.

by KT on Feb 21, 2006 9:27 PM CST reply actions

he's been calling games

All season I believe...

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 21, 2006 10:50 PM CST up reply actions

Nothing shows dedication....

To an NBA comeback effort like covering college games for ESPN.

by Rodmaniac on Feb 22, 2006 9:23 AM CST reply actions

That's not entirely fair

he can do both, I suppose.

My continuing point is not in regards to his own motives or desire, just that the comeback is all of a sudden assumed (in some circles) when it hasn't been proven in the least that he's ready.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 22, 2006 9:42 AM CST up reply actions

Stupidest thing I've ever heard:

"However, at 100%, he was the best guard to come out of college in a decade."

Huh??? He may be more qualified to analyze and coach, but this is complete insanity.

Not only has Jay been called college games for the Duece, he also calls some of the high school games they do. He's not horrible, but I won't compliment him.

by Moses Taylor on Feb 22, 2006 1:52 PM CST reply actions

who was better?

who was a better guard coming out of college than Jay Williams?

Jason Kidd, but he's roughly a decade ago.
Steve Nash: not when he entered the league.
Arenas: NBA teams thought so highly of him he lasted to the 2nd round.
Bibby: Williams was far more explosive and a better defender.
Wade: Maybe, but not many believed that at draft time, though I had Wade/Bosh competing for the #2 pick.
Hinrich?
Steve Francis?
Marbury?

Out of college, who was better?

by Bmac on Feb 22, 2006 3:08 PM CST reply actions

Jay Williams vs Kurt Hinrich

Certainly Wade's & Chris Paul's rookie seasons are superior. I would also include Jason Richardson off the top of my head.

My memory of Jay Williams was that he was an average shooter and a terrible free throw shooter. He would drive the basket, however, and was a little too much of a shoot first PG. He was also only so so on defense. At the end of his 1st season I thought that he was going to be an acceptable starter but never a star.
I wondered if Williams had a better first season than Hinrich so I looked up the comparable stats.
Hinrich Williams
Games played 76 75
Games Started 66 54
Min/Gm 35.6 26.1
FG % 38.6% 39.9%
3PFG% 39.0% 32.2%
FT% 80.4% 64.0%
Pts/Game 12.1 9.5
Per 40 Min Figures
Points 13.5 14.6
Assists 7.6 7.1
Turnovers 3.0 3.5
Rebounds 3.8 4.0

Just looking at the stats you'd have a hard time saying Williams had a better season.
Add that Hinrich is a better defender and that Williams had the advantage of working his way into the league while Hinrich had to play major minutes almost immediately coming off missing preseason and the first couple games with the flu.
In my mind Hinrich clearly had a better rookie season.
As to whether Williams would have had a better career than Hinrich if he had stayed healthy no one can say.

REB

by OldeBull on Feb 22, 2006 4:30 PM CST up reply actions

umm...

i didnt read every post in this thread, so there might be a reason, but 'kurt' is kirk

by hongydraw on Jul 20, 2006 12:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Out of college, who was better?

by 'better' do you mean 'came in with more hype'?

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 22, 2006 4:46 PM CST up reply actions

Jay Will

Calm down there Matt. You might be tired of hearing about Jay, but I'm not (I'm sure I'm not the only one). I want JW to come back. The NBA needs a player like him. There hasn't been a PG coming out of college like him in a long time. JW was a 3 tool athlete. He could shoot, dish, and play defense. And, coming from Duke, he isn't the selfish player a lot of the top guys (ie. Kobe) are. I will buy a ticket, not matter the price, for his 1st game back.

by twolf on Feb 22, 2006 5:45 PM CST reply actions

Jay Will

Isn't this the same guy whose mother demanded that he be traded as a rookie? Isn't this the same guy who lost his job to Jamal Crawford? Maybe he's not as "selfish" as Kobe, but he's nowhere near as good either.

by Big D on Feb 22, 2006 6:11 PM CST up reply actions

ode bull

coming out of college, not after their rookie year.

the comment was coming out of college, as in pre-NBA. so, comparing NBA rookie stats totally misses the point.

by Bmac on Feb 22, 2006 11:30 PM CST reply actions

but what's more relevant

to what he can do in the NBA?

Like I said in the post, you might as well be talking about two different people after an injury and rehab like that.

Jay should have to earn his way back like any other fringe prospect, that's my main point.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 22, 2006 11:36 PM CST up reply actions

Wishy - washy

Hey Matt, I too am getting tired of the percentage of his health and hollow statements about being signed by a team. I'm actually fan of him when he was a Bull.

I think if he's gonna come back it should be this year or none at all because every year the NBA gets younger & faster and if he's 95% healthy next your he might be 75% because the new kids on the NBA block will smoke him.

Its now or never. Personally I think he's done.

by Kevinap34 on Feb 23, 2006 5:23 PM CST reply actions