One of the finest point guards of his generation — three-time All-Star and 2008 Olympic gold medallist.
Deron Michael Williams was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1984. Utah Jazz selected him third overall in the 2005 NBA Draft — one pick after Andrew Bogut and one pick before Chris Paul. His peak years from 2007 to 2011 established him as one of the two best point guards in the league alongside Chris Paul, with many analysts preferring Williams for his size and physicality. He averaged 19.0 points and 10.5 assists per game in 2010-11 — among the finest single-season point guard performances of the decade. He was selected to three All-Star games. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2011 in a blockbuster deal that was supposed to transform the franchise but injuries and personnel issues limited what he could achieve. He won Olympic gold with the USA in 2008 and bronze in 2012. A torn tendon sheath in his ankle in 2012 disrupted his peak and he was never quite the same player again. He retired in 2017.
Elite point guard with exceptional court vision and clutch shooting
How They Played
Pass-first point guard with strong leadership and three-point shooting
Lasting Impact
One of the premier point guards of the late 2000s, considered rival to Chris Paul
All-Star 3x
Career Honours
- All-Star 3x
- All-NBA Second Team 2x
- Olympic Gold Medal