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Williams named to Olympic basketball team
BY ANDREW MAY, Staff Writer
Six years ago Deron Williams guided The Colony High School to its second consecutive 5A state semifinal berth. In less than two months, the decorated Cougar alum will lead the United States in its quest to regain world basketball dominance in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.
Williams was one of 12 players selected Monday to the Men’s Senior National Team that will represent the red, white and blue Aug. 8-24 in Beijing, China. Williams, who attended the University of Illinois after graduating from TCHS in 2002, is one of two Utah Jazz players named to the U.S. squad, the other being Carlos Boozer. Joining the duo is an experienced and athletic cast that includes reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant, Dallas Lincoln graduate Chris Bosh, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Michael Redd and Tayshaun Prince.
Williams and Bosh, a forward for the Toronto Raptors, are the first area high school products since Woodrow Wilson’s Alton Lister in 1980 to earn a U.S. Olympic basketball berth.
In just his third NBA season, Williams earned his first All-NBA honors after averaging 18.8 points, 10.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. He became only the third player in league history behind Magic Johnson and Kevin Johnson to score 1,500 points, tally 800 assists and shoot .500 or better in a single season.
Williams said he knew the nod was imminent after receiving a text message from former Illini Jerry Colangelo, the USA Basketball managing director, a couple of weeks ago. The 6-3, 208-pound point guard apparently also made a good impression on Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski while playing on Team USA during the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas last summer. Williams and the U.S. squad will be back in Sin City Saturday for a minicamp before returning to train July 21-24.
Even though he had an idea it may happen The Colony head coach Cleve Ryan was thrilled when the news officially broke Monday.
“Things like this don’t happen very often,” he said. “It made a lot of people pretty excited. He does a lot of great things for people so it makes it easy to pull for him.”
Ryan said Williams was a fixture in the high school gym when he would come home from Illinois for holidays and visits. Williams, who already ranks fourth on the Jazz’s all-time assists list, went through workouts at TCHS while preparing for the NBA draft in 2005. Every time he left, the gym would be packed the next day with young players aspiring to follow in the footsteps of their hardworking role model.
“He has been a guy that does come back to The Colony and represents The Colony very well,” Ryan said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have known him for 12 years and see how he’s grown up into a quality young man with high character.”
Williams and Bosh, the two area talents, will be 24 when the Olympics begin, providing youthful exuberance and fresh legs to a team with an average age of 26.8. Williams, who won the 2008 NBA Playstation Skills Challenge at All-Star Weekend in February, is one of six guards on the U.S. team looking to right the ship after going 5-3 to settle for bronze in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Seeking redemption, the United States will open play in the 2008 Olympic competition Aug. 10 against China.
“I think we’ll be well prepared, no doubt about that,” Williams said. “I think everybody on our team, Kobe, LeBron, are the best competitors you can have on one team. It’s all about winning the gold. Anything less would be disappointing.”
U.S. men’s roster
Player Pos Team
Carmelo Anthony F Denver
Carlos Boozer F Utah
Chris Bosh F Toronto
Kobe Bryant G LA Lakers
Dwight Howard C Orlando
LeBron James F Cleveland
Jason Kidd G Dallas
Chris Paul G New Orleans
Tayshaun Prince F Detroit
Michael Redd G Milwaukee
Dwyane Wade G Miami
Deron Williams G Utah
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