Kori Ellis
10-26-2006, 01:34 AM
Spurs forward Williams has little time to shine
Web Posted: 10/26/2006 12:10 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102606.04D.BKNspurs.willliams.35bb701.html
Two preseason games is not much of a chance to make an impression, but if forward Eric Williams wants to be on the 12-man roster when the Spurs open the regular season next week, two games is all he's got to convince the coaching staff he can contribute.
The 11-year veteran, who came to the Spurs as part of the trade that sent Rasho Nesterovic to Toronto, suffered a strained left Achilles' tendon early in training camp. Unable to practice until last week and behind in his conditioning, Williams played for the first time in Saturday's game at Houston, logging 27 minutes.
Acquired to be a spot defender against forwards such as Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, he likely will get a chance to defend Nowitzki in the Spurs' exhibition finale against the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday night.
How well he does in that assignment could determine Williams' status opening night. For the moment, he does not figure in the team's regular playing rotation. Though he is in the final year of a guaranteed contract that pays him $4.3 million, he might not be one of the 12 players the Spurs suit up in the regular season opener at Dallas on Nov. 2.
"The jury's out on him," assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "I won't say he came (to camp) in terrible shape, but he got behind.
"France was tough anyway, because we had to go with veteran guys over there because we were playing games within four days. But in addition to that, the guys that got hurt, Beno (Udrih) and Eric, have fallen behind. That hurt them. Other guys got in better shape and picked things up better and knew what was going on. They distanced themselves from those guys."
Williams understands where he stands. He hopes another week of practice will allow him to get in better shape and be ready to go when the regular season begins. If it turns out he is not on the 12-man active roster on opening night, he will bide his time and wait for his chance.
"It was an unfortunate situation," Williams said of the injury that cost him valuable practice time in France. "I got kicked two times in a row in the Achilles and it flamed up and that slowed me down. I'm trying to get through it. I'm still not 100 percent; maybe 80, 85 percent. I'm not there yet, but I'm still out there on the court, running and trying to get ready for the first day of the season.
"I just go out there and do what I've got to do. I can't worry about things too much because I know this is a championship-ready team. I'm just happy to be on a team like this, and I know I can work myself into condition."
Williams took a lot of heat from Raptors fans after he made it clear he was unhappy with the trade that sent him from the New Jersey Nets to Toronto as part of the Vince Carter deal in 2004. When the Raptors traded Jalen Rose to the Knicks last season, Williams reiterated his disappointment at being "stuck" in Toronto.
What Raptors fans didn't know about Williams' disappointment at being traded away from New Jersey — and not being traded back to the same area — was his concern for his son, Raquiesh, who was 10 at the time of the Carter trade. Williams was raising Raquiesh on his own after his son's mother, Williams' high school sweetheart, was murdered in Piscataway, N.J., in 2003.
Raquiesh, now 12, remains in New Jersey while his dad works to secure a spot on the Spurs.
"I never considered moving him (to San Antonio)," Williams said after the Spurs' practice session Wednesday. "I wanted him to have the stability. He's 12 years old now and he's got friends, and his friends are important to him. I wanted to give him some years to live a relatively normal life.
"He plays football, basketball, baseball and he swims and plays some ice hockey, too. His school has a lot of extracurricular activities that keep him busy. Plus he's growing up with a nephew of mine who is almost like another son. They're in the same class in the same school, so that's what's good."
The trauma of losing his mother was difficult for his son, but Williams is proud of his resilience.
"The situation is what it is," Williams said, "but he's come through pretty well. He's doing great in school, and things aren't normal, but they're getting closer to normal. He's got some stability with my family that's around him right now, and that's good. It's a totally different situation."
Web Posted: 10/26/2006 12:10 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102606.04D.BKNspurs.willliams.35bb701.html
Two preseason games is not much of a chance to make an impression, but if forward Eric Williams wants to be on the 12-man roster when the Spurs open the regular season next week, two games is all he's got to convince the coaching staff he can contribute.
The 11-year veteran, who came to the Spurs as part of the trade that sent Rasho Nesterovic to Toronto, suffered a strained left Achilles' tendon early in training camp. Unable to practice until last week and behind in his conditioning, Williams played for the first time in Saturday's game at Houston, logging 27 minutes.
Acquired to be a spot defender against forwards such as Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, he likely will get a chance to defend Nowitzki in the Spurs' exhibition finale against the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday night.
How well he does in that assignment could determine Williams' status opening night. For the moment, he does not figure in the team's regular playing rotation. Though he is in the final year of a guaranteed contract that pays him $4.3 million, he might not be one of the 12 players the Spurs suit up in the regular season opener at Dallas on Nov. 2.
"The jury's out on him," assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "I won't say he came (to camp) in terrible shape, but he got behind.
"France was tough anyway, because we had to go with veteran guys over there because we were playing games within four days. But in addition to that, the guys that got hurt, Beno (Udrih) and Eric, have fallen behind. That hurt them. Other guys got in better shape and picked things up better and knew what was going on. They distanced themselves from those guys."
Williams understands where he stands. He hopes another week of practice will allow him to get in better shape and be ready to go when the regular season begins. If it turns out he is not on the 12-man active roster on opening night, he will bide his time and wait for his chance.
"It was an unfortunate situation," Williams said of the injury that cost him valuable practice time in France. "I got kicked two times in a row in the Achilles and it flamed up and that slowed me down. I'm trying to get through it. I'm still not 100 percent; maybe 80, 85 percent. I'm not there yet, but I'm still out there on the court, running and trying to get ready for the first day of the season.
"I just go out there and do what I've got to do. I can't worry about things too much because I know this is a championship-ready team. I'm just happy to be on a team like this, and I know I can work myself into condition."
Williams took a lot of heat from Raptors fans after he made it clear he was unhappy with the trade that sent him from the New Jersey Nets to Toronto as part of the Vince Carter deal in 2004. When the Raptors traded Jalen Rose to the Knicks last season, Williams reiterated his disappointment at being "stuck" in Toronto.
What Raptors fans didn't know about Williams' disappointment at being traded away from New Jersey — and not being traded back to the same area — was his concern for his son, Raquiesh, who was 10 at the time of the Carter trade. Williams was raising Raquiesh on his own after his son's mother, Williams' high school sweetheart, was murdered in Piscataway, N.J., in 2003.
Raquiesh, now 12, remains in New Jersey while his dad works to secure a spot on the Spurs.
"I never considered moving him (to San Antonio)," Williams said after the Spurs' practice session Wednesday. "I wanted him to have the stability. He's 12 years old now and he's got friends, and his friends are important to him. I wanted to give him some years to live a relatively normal life.
"He plays football, basketball, baseball and he swims and plays some ice hockey, too. His school has a lot of extracurricular activities that keep him busy. Plus he's growing up with a nephew of mine who is almost like another son. They're in the same class in the same school, so that's what's good."
The trauma of losing his mother was difficult for his son, but Williams is proud of his resilience.
"The situation is what it is," Williams said, "but he's come through pretty well. He's doing great in school, and things aren't normal, but they're getting closer to normal. He's got some stability with my family that's around him right now, and that's good. It's a totally different situation."