Cutting loose

Slumping rookie Williams finally flashes brilliance

ATLANTA -- He swished a couple jumpers. He dribbled through defenders. He whipped no-look passes.

And when Bulls rookie Jay Williams walked off the Philips Arena court after Saturday’s All-Star Rookie Challenge, he felt at least a little bit like a new man.

"Refreshing," Williams said.

Williams wasn’t exactly the biggest star in Saturday’s mildly entertaining dunkfest. Warriors guards Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas pretty much stole the show with their combination of rim-rocking jams and silky three-pointers.

But Williams, who has struggled to live up to the expectations of being the No. 2 pick in the draft, might have been the biggest beneficiary of the contest. In 23 minutes he racked up nine points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals. Along the way, he gave himself a much-needed boost of confidence.

"This was good for me," he said. "It was great to come here and play this style, run-and-gun. I haven’t done that in a while."

Sporting a pair of glossy Bulls red sneakers, Williams seemed determined to put his troubles behind him and reclaim his place among the NBA's top young prospects.

He used a shake-and-bake move to set up a 14-foot jumper over Tony Parker. He whipped a behind-the-back pass to Suns forward Amare Stoudemire for a hammer dunk. He nailed a three-pointer and glanced over at Bulls teammate Tyson Chandler on the Sophomore bench.

"Tyson was mad because he only had one shot," Williams joked. "He didn’t get a lot of touches."

Williams knows the feeling, of course.

Despite being handed the Bulls starting point guard job, Williams has struggled all season. Poor shooting and turnovers have caused coach Bill Cartwright to hook him, and his confidence has plummeted. Meanwhile, Williams has been outspoken in his belief that his team’s offensive system is stifling his creative abilities.

On Saturday, Williams made his case. He darted through defenders all night, driving and dishing. He dug out loose balls. He took Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley into the lane and hit a runner over him.

"I was able to do a lot of things I haven't been able to do for awhile," Williams said. "This is the kind of game I’m really good at. West Coast game, up and down, run a lot. I hope I can bring that back to Chicago."

Perhaps just as important, Williams had a good time. He joked with Parker and Richardson. He traded trash talk with Chandler. He playfully bounced a ball off Pau Gasol’s back while the opposing player was running up court.

"You could see him smiling and having fun," Chandler said. "He was definitely more hyper today, more active ... His game is to push the ball up the court and set up guys for easy baskets. He was able to do that tonight."

Whether Saturday’s feel-good exhibition will carry over for Williams into the second half of the season remains to be seen. After the game, Rookie coach Cotton Fitzsimmons and Parker each said confidence can be a crucial factor for a young point guard.

"I think with Jay Williams, he just needs more freedom," Parker said. "He needs to be able to play and not think. Last year I was thinking too much sometimes. When you’re thinking too much you can’t play free."

For Williams, truer words perhaps have never been spoken. Not that he was going to spend much time dwelling on it. As uplifting as Saturday’s event might have been, Williams admitted afterward that he had little left in his tank.

"I’m so tired," he said as he packed his gear at his locker. "I’m not even gonna stay for the Slam Dunk Contest. I’m gonna go back and go to sleep."

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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