http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/104185.html
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:02 am PST Sunday, January 7, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
Ronnie Price sat on the Kings' bench before Saturday's game at Arco Arena when newly signed big man Justin Williams walked his way.
"You been hitting the gym?" Price asked.
Williams smiled and flexed his right arm.
"Does it look like it?" he answered.
The rookie product out of Wyoming not only is back but bigger (220 pounds vs. 211 during training camp) and, the Kings hope, better. After Williams was cut by the Kings during training camp, his road back to Sacramento went through Bismarck, N.D., where he was the best of his kind for the Wizards of the NBA Development League the past two months.
Williams went after every rebound and loose ball as if his first guaranteed NBA contract were hidden inside and tried to block any shot that stood between him and his dream. Williams, who signed a 10-day contract Friday, said he's glad he chose to play in the D-League rather than head overseas.
"It was a real big decision to stay (in America), especially with the offers I was getting," said Williams, who was inactive for Saturday's game against Portland. "But I was confident I could go out there and work hard and someone would pick me up."
Williams was tempted to go for the money, he said, especially when a team based in North Koreaoffered $40,000 per month compared with approximately $4,000 per month in the D-League.
He led the league in blocks (3.08 per game) and rebounds (12.3), and scored 12.1
points per game. The weight gain, Williams said, was part working out and part dieting.
Becoming more comfortable with the offensive nuances of the game also was part of the improvement plan.
"I learned a lot about taking my time in the offenses, setting screens and rolling hard and getting game exposure," Williams said. "It was great competition. And getting that playing time, almost 30 minutes a game, helped me tremendously. I don't think it's going to be that tough (to adjust to the Kings' system). I've got my work cut out for me, but I feel real confident."
A big board - Shareef Abdur-Rahim pulled down the 6,000th rebound of his 11-year career in the first quarter against Portland.
The forward started in place of Brad Miller, who missed Thursday's game with the flu and didn't enter play against the Trail Blazers until 3:30 remained in the first quarter.
Abdur-Rahim's glory years on the boards were from 1999 to 2004, when he averaged between 8.4 and 10.1 rebounds.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:02 am PST Sunday, January 7, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
Ronnie Price sat on the Kings' bench before Saturday's game at Arco Arena when newly signed big man Justin Williams walked his way.
"You been hitting the gym?" Price asked.
Williams smiled and flexed his right arm.
"Does it look like it?" he answered.
The rookie product out of Wyoming not only is back but bigger (220 pounds vs. 211 during training camp) and, the Kings hope, better. After Williams was cut by the Kings during training camp, his road back to Sacramento went through Bismarck, N.D., where he was the best of his kind for the Wizards of the NBA Development League the past two months.
Williams went after every rebound and loose ball as if his first guaranteed NBA contract were hidden inside and tried to block any shot that stood between him and his dream. Williams, who signed a 10-day contract Friday, said he's glad he chose to play in the D-League rather than head overseas.
"It was a real big decision to stay (in America), especially with the offers I was getting," said Williams, who was inactive for Saturday's game against Portland. "But I was confident I could go out there and work hard and someone would pick me up."
Williams was tempted to go for the money, he said, especially when a team based in North Koreaoffered $40,000 per month compared with approximately $4,000 per month in the D-League.
He led the league in blocks (3.08 per game) and rebounds (12.3), and scored 12.1
points per game. The weight gain, Williams said, was part working out and part dieting.
Becoming more comfortable with the offensive nuances of the game also was part of the improvement plan.
"I learned a lot about taking my time in the offenses, setting screens and rolling hard and getting game exposure," Williams said. "It was great competition. And getting that playing time, almost 30 minutes a game, helped me tremendously. I don't think it's going to be that tough (to adjust to the Kings' system). I've got my work cut out for me, but I feel real confident."
A big board - Shareef Abdur-Rahim pulled down the 6,000th rebound of his 11-year career in the first quarter against Portland.
The forward started in place of Brad Miller, who missed Thursday's game with the flu and didn't enter play against the Trail Blazers until 3:30 remained in the first quarter.
Abdur-Rahim's glory years on the boards were from 1999 to 2004, when he averaged between 8.4 and 10.1 rebounds.
