NBA.com : Deron Williams Bio Page
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Background

2006-07 SEASON
Appeared in 80 of 82 games (all starts), and averaged 16.2 points, 9.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 0.98 steals in 36.9 minutes per game … Ranked second in NBA in assists per game (9.3), 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.03) and 20th in double-doubles (30) … Finished third in NBA’s Most Improved Player balloting … Competed for Sophomores in 2007 Rookie Challenge (19 points, 8-12, and 7 assists in 15 minutes before leaving with a strained left groin) … Missed two games with a strained left groin – 2/20, 2/26 (Jazz were 0-2) … Made largest increase in assists per game from 2005-06 to 2006-07 of any player in NBA (+4.9 apg) … Had 30 double-doubles this season … Led (or tied) Jazz in assists in 70 of 80 games, highest percentage in NBA … Scored in double figures 68 times, 20+ points 22 times and 30+ points twice … Dished 10+ assists 34 times (Jazz were 26-8 in those games, 7-14 when he had 6 or fewer) … Posted 30 double-doubles (Jazz were 23-7, 13-2 when he had 20/10) … Tied career-high with three offensive rebounds (also vs. Washington, 3/26/07) … Left in the second quarter with a strained left groin at Sacramento on 4/6 … Had 22 points and 14 assists, hitting a career-high 11-14 free throws vs. Minnesota on 3/28 … Tied Wachovia Center record with 16 assists at Philadelphia on 3/16 (ties Kidd, Iverson) … Missed game vs. L.A. Lakers on 2/26 with a strained left groin (Jazz were 0-2 without him) … Posted 26 points and 14 assists at Denver on 2/23 … Missed first game of season with a strained left groin (suffered in Rookie Challenge on 2/16) Registered a career-high 33 points with 12 assists vs. Cleveland on 2/14 (was 31 at Detroit, 1/17) … Had three straight double-doubles (2/3-2/10) … Had 48 assists over three-game span (1/22-1/26), most since Andre Miller in April 2005 … First rookie or second-year player with that many over three games since Penny Hardaway had 49 in April 1995 … Dished a career-high 21 assists with just one turnover vs. Memphis on 1/24 … 21 assists tie NBA season high (Steve Nash – 1/11) … First Jazzman with 20+ assists since 1/7/95 (Stockton) … Posted 15 assists with 0 turnovers vs. Minnesota on 1/22 … Joins Nash as only second player in NBA with 15+ assists/0 turnovers this season… First Jazzman with 15+ assists without a turnover since Jacque Vaughn vs. Denver, 11/22/00 … Registered a then-career-high 31 points at Detroit on 1/17 … Tied his career-high with seven rebounds four times, last at Seattle on 1/12 (5th career time) … Played a career-high 47:43 minutes at Seattle on 1/12 … Scored five points in final 17 seconds of regulation to force OT at New York on 12/18 … Had 28 points and 14 assists at L.A. Clippers on 12/13 … Posted 27 points and 15 assists, with a career-high five steals at Milwaukee on 11/11 … First Jazzman w/ 20/15 game since John Stockton on 3/23/97 … First Jazzman other than Stockton since Rickey Green in 1985.

AS A PROFESSIONAL
Has appeared in 160 of a possible 164 games in first two years for Utah … Boasts career averages of 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 0.86 steals in 32.9 minutes … Has scored 20+ points 29 times, dished 10+ assists 39 times and has 35 career double-doubles … Named to 2005-06 NBA All-Rookie First Team … Chosen to compete in the All-Star Rookie Challenge each of first two years …

2005-06: Named to 2005-06 NBA All-Rookie First Team … Played in 80 games as a rookie, starting the final 28 games (47 starts overall) … Missed 2 games due to injury – 2/6 vs. Chicago (left ankle sprain) and 12/12 vs. Detroit (double ear infection) … Led the Jazz in assists at 4.5 per game, and ranked 5th in scoring with 10.8 points per game … Led all rookies in three-point accuracy (.416, 91-219), ranking 3rd in assists per game (4.5), 4th in scoring (10.8), 5th in minutes (28.9), 6th in steals (.75) and blocks (.21), 7th in double-doubles (5) and 9th in rebounding (2.4) … Set Jazz rookie record for three-pointers made (91) and attempted (219) … 4.5 apg is 2nd-highest average ever by a Jazz rookie (5.1, Stockton) while 10.8 ppg is 4th-highest (20.6, Griffith) … Ranked 15th in NBA in three-point shooting at .416 (91-219), and led the league in three-point percentage from 2/1 through end of season at .534 (55-103) … Led Jazz (or tied) in scoring 10 times, and in assists 32 times … Scored a season-high 28 points (11-13 FG, 4-4 3FG) at Atlanta, 3/17 … Scored in double figures 48 times, topping 20+ points seven times … Dished 10+ assists five times, registering five double-doubles (all points/assists) … Registered 12 points and tied season-high with 13 assists in season finale vs. Golden State, 4/19 … Also had 13 assists to go with 13 points at Golden State, 2/27 (first double-double since 11/21) … Posted back-to-back doubles (first two of career) with 21 points and 10 assists in a season-high 43 minutes vs. Memphis on 11/19 and with 10 points and 10 assists vs. Milwaukee on 11/21 … Had career-high three-pointers made and attempted (5-9) vs. Minnesota, 3/8 … Hit game-winning 10-foot bankshot with 2.4 seconds left vs. L.A. Clippers, 3/3 … Scored his 500th career point vs. New Orleans/Okla. City, 2/25 … Scored 18 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 3FG), grabbed 3 boards and dished 3 assists in NBA debut vs. Dallas on 11/2.

IN THE PLAYOFFS
2007: Started all 17 games in first playoff appearance, averaging 19.2 points, 8.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.53 steals in 38.6 minutes per game … Recorded five double-doubles, dishing out 10+ assists five times … Led the Jazz in scoring in the Western Conference Finals vs. San Antonio, averaging 25.8 points, 7.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.40 steals in the five-game series … Posted a career-high 34 points (18 in 4th qtr) in Game 1 at San Antonio (5/20) … Averaged 16.8 points, 9.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.20 steals per game in five-game Conference Semifinals series with Golden State … Forced OT in Game 2 (5/9) vs. Golden State with 12-foot jumper with 2.3 seconds left (Jazz won) … Averaged 16.3 points, 8.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.14 steals in seven-game first round series with Houston … Recorded a first-round series-high 14 assists in deciding Game 7 at Houston (5/5) … Had 15 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists with 3 steals in playoff debut in Game 1 at Houston (4/21).

AS A COLLEGIAN
Was an early entry candidate to the NBA after playing three seasons at Illinois (2002-05) … Averaged 11.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 101 career games for the Illini, leaving as the second all-time leaders in assists in school history with 594 … Also ranked 35th all-time in scoring with 1,111 career points … Named First Team All-Big Ten as both sophomore and junior … Only missed three games in entire career (2003-04, double jaw fracture) …As a junior, led the Illini to a 37-2 record, a Big Ten title, and the 2005 National Championship Game … Named to NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team and was named Most Outstanding Player for the Chicago Regional … Earned consensus Second Team All-American honors and was a Wooden Award finalist … Averaged 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists as junior, leading the Big Ten and ranking 11th in the nation in assists per game … Became the first player in Big Ten history to lead the conference in assists in each of his first three seasons (conference games only) … His 264 assists set a single-season school record … Tallied 17 points and seven assists in the championship game loss to North Carolina … Registered a 22-point, 10-rebound performance in a Elite Eight comeback win over Arizona … Scored 15 points and dished 10 assists in second round win vs. Nevada … Averaged career-high 14.0 points along with 3.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists as sophomore in 2003-04 … That season, broke a school NCAA Tournament record with 31 points in second round win over Cincinnati, including six three-pointers … Played in 32 games as freshman, scoring 6.3 points, grabbing 3.0 rebounds and dishing 6.2 assists.


Personal

  • Full name is Deron Michael Williams
  • Born in Parkersburg, W. Va.
  • Majored in sport management
  • Favorite athletes are current NBA players Jason Kidd and Frank Williams
  • Favorite movie is “Gladiator”
  • Favorite food is steak
  • Wears a size 13 shoe
  • Life motto is “Anything that doesn’t kill me makes me stronger”
  • Collegiate teammate of ex-Jazzman Dee Brown and Roger Powell Jr, as well as Luther Head of the Houston Rockets
  • Participates in the Jazz’s “Read to Achieve” program
  • Works with kids, teaching them basketball skills at Jr. Jazz clinics during the season
  • Started his own charity, Point of Hope Foundation, that provide support and hope to those who have cancer and to people in need
  • Hosted inaugural Deron Williams Celebrity Golf Classic in September 2007, raising $40,000 for Huntsman Cancer Institute and Point of Hope Foundation
  • Purchased tickets for “Deron’s Double-Team” section at Jazz home games, providing tickets to Special Olympics Utah