Denver Post Stiry on Eric Williams

[Jim McMaster <mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com>]

Thought some Eric Williams fans might like to see this:




          



              Williams trying to shed rap 

By Vicki Michaelis
Denver Post Sports Writer 

Oct. 7 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Soon after Eric Williams was traded
to the Denver Nuggets for two second- round draft picks in August, new
Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino fired off a round of reasons. 

The parting shots all hit Williams by surprise. 

Pitino was quoted in The Boston Globe as saying: "Eric Williams just
wasn't going to work out here. He wasn't committing himself to this
organization from a time standpoint.'' 

The Globe also reported Pitino said Williams "shunned'' all the
opportunities he had this summer to show he was committed to personal
improvement. Williams' professionalism was questioned in the article. 

"I felt that I did everything I was asked over the summer,'' said
Williams, who, after averaging 15 points and 4.6 rebounds for the
Celtics last season, is expected to start for the Nuggets at small forward.
"I went to the rookie camp. I went to all the other free-agent camps they
had. I didn't really understand why those things were said. 

"I was more kind of embarrassed that they were jeopardizing my
professionalism like that. I just take it as that was an excuse for them to
trade me.'' 

The Nuggets said they were aware of Pitino's statements. Yet, they did
trade for Williams and, last week, they signed him to a six-year
contract extension worth $25 million to $33 million, depending on
incentives. 

"I talked to one of his coaches last year, who's with another team now,''
Nuggets coach Bill Hanzlik said, "and he said, "Between the lines, Eric
Williams will give you everything he's got. And he's a good person.' Boy,
he was right to a tee. He's fun to be around; he works hard, and he's
gotten better. Since the time we've had him, he's gotten better.'' 

Some of the rumblings about Williams began a year before he was
traded and months before Pitino was hired, when Williams reported for
his second NBA season 30 pounds overweight. 

left kneecap, which he underwent in April of that year. 

"It was the first time I ever had any type of major surgery like that. That
kept me off my feet as far as working out and things like that. I guess
my metabolism (slowed) and next thing you know, I was 30 pounds
overweight,'' said Williams, who added he had shed the weight before
November. Now, although his weight is listed at 220, he said he's at 238. 

After Pitino was hired last spring, Williams said he heard he might be
traded so Pitino could get a center. He also said he and Pitino "had some
good talks, and he said some great things.'' Williams was told he likely
would back up Antoine Walker at small forward. 

Neither Pitino nor anyone else in the Celtics' organization told him of
their complaints, Williams said. 

"For them to say that without telling me that, I think that was sort of
like running from the real reason they traded me,'' said Williams, who
added that he doesn't know the real reason. 

He does know now, however, how quickly a team's plans can change -
which is why he is happy to be committed to the Nuggets long-term. 

"I didn't want to have the added pressure on me for the season. I know
things could happen,'' Williams said. "And I'm not the type of person
that has an ego to see how much money I could make.'' 
- -- 
Jim McMaster
mailto:mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com