[外電] Hawks pick Duke's Williams
Hawks pick Duke's Williams
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/29/06
New York — Shelden Williams is well aware that he has detractors
out there, people who feel that because they watched him for four
years at Duke that they've seen all that he has to offer on a
basketball court.
But the newest Atlanta Hawk is steadfast in his belief that few
people have seen what else he has to offer, following a similar
path from Tobacco Road to the NBA blazed recently by the likes
of Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer.
"There's no question that I played around the basket pretty
exclusively in college because that's what was needed for us to
be successful," Williams said Wednesday night after the Hawks
made him the fifth pick in the NBA draft. "There are some things
that I can do that people haven't seen. I can step away from the
basket and knock down shots. But those are things people just
haven't seen from me because that's not what was needed of me
for us to be successful."
The Hawks are looking for the 6-9, 258-pound Williams to do
exactly what he did at Duke: rebound, play defense and bang
relentlessly inside.
As glaring as the Hawks' deficiencies at point guard were last
season, their struggles inside arguably were more obvious.
Backup center Jason Collier died during training camp and left
third-year player Zaza Pachulia as the only capable post player
on the roster for the entire season.
"We finished next to last in defensive rebounding, we finished
next to last in point scored against in the paint and we had gave
up more 3-point plays than other team in the league," Hawks
general manager Billy Knight said. "Along with Josh Smith, we
think Shelden Williams will help us protect the goal. We can't
spend another season with Zaza playing 35 to 40 minutes a night
in 82 games without any help. We feel like Shelden can help us
out in some areas where we obviously need help."
Like Williams, Knight and Hawks coach Mike Woodson disputed the
notion that the newest member of the franchise is a finished
product.
"There is upside to his game," Knight said. "Everyone is
penalizing four-year players in today's NBA. And that's not
fair. Shelden is certainly physically mature, but ... there's
more to his game. And if you look at the first 12 picks of the
draft, all these guys from Andrea Bargnani and LaMarcus Aldridge
and Adam Morrison and down to J.J. Redick and Hilton Armstrong,
we're not the only team looking to bring somebody in that can
help your team more immediately as opposed to bringing in a young
guy and gambling on his potential."
Williams is one of just three players in NCAA history to record
at least 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 350 blocks and 150 steals,
joining David Robinson and Pervis Ellison. It was that body of
work, and not any workout (Williams didn't work out for the
Hawks) or any guarantee from Knight (both sides insist that was
untrue) that made Williams the Hawks' pick.
"I don't care how you cut it," Woodson said, "the kid scored
nearly 19 points a game and rebounded the ball like nobody's
business and averaged about four blocks a night. The fact is he
gives us a lot of stuff we didn't have last year. Is he a little
undersized? He might be. But it's the heart that gets you through. \
Some people could argue that Zaza is a bit undersized and did the
job for us. And I think Shelden can come in and give us some of
the same things and more."
Some fans among an estimated 1,000 at the Hawks' draft party in
Philips Arena were not convinced, booing the pick and lamenting
the Hawks passing on a point guard for the second straight season.
Last year the team chose Marvin Williams with the No. 2 pick and
passed on point guards Deron Williams and Chris Paul, who ran
away with Rookie of the Year honors.
"This is not a good pick. We don't need another forward," said
Erick Harrell, who attended the draft party. "We are already
crowded at that position. I think [general manager] Billy Knight
is trying to sabotage the team."
The Hawks took another power forward in the second round,
selecting Solomon Jones from South Florida with the 33rd overall
4pick.
Woodson admitted later that there's "no question we need a point
guard."
Veterans like Sam Cassell, Speedy Claxton, Mike James and Bobby
Jackson will be the hottest names on the free-agent market.
"Those are guys that can help put our ball club over the top. So
hang in there with us, please," Woodson said as he walked away
from the microphone to the only applause of the night.
Staff writer Andre Shannon and Jeff D'Alessio contributed to this
report.
資料來源
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/hawks/stories/0629hawks.html
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