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martin
Posts: 69117
Alba Posts: 108
Joined: 7/24/2001
Member: #2
USA
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I usually don't get to surf over to the nba.com site - mostly cause it really sucks - but there was a small Frank article:
Inside the Paint with Rookie Frank Williams
"He's very solid, the hardest worker on the team," Knicks center Kurt Thomas says of rookie Frank Williams. "First to arrive at every practice, the last to go." Williams, in fact, had to be a scrapper his entire life, raised by his mom alone -- along with seven brothers and two sisters -- in an inner-city Peoria neighborhood. "That's a major family to grow up in," he says. "Especially WHERE we grew up."
"Actually, it wasn't bad at all," Williams smiles at the memory. "There was a lot of love. We kind of took care of each other. Everybody pitched in, the older kids kind of raising the younger ones. I was the third youngest brother so I had a whole lot of help." The entire crew played ball, too. "I'm not even the best player in my family," Williams says. "My youngest brother, who is a junior in high school right now, is going to be better."
That'll take some doing because Williams, in spite of his injury-induced slow start in the NBA, is a tremendous talent. "Remember, he broke his wrist in the third preseason game," Thomas says. "And he's not only a rookie coming into a new league, but a rookie POINT GUARD. That's the most 'thinking' position on the floor, so it's the toughest to learn. But you can tell how he's watching, absorbing, and getting better and better each practice. He's really getting there. The kid's going to be a good one."
"Frank's got it all: intelligence, court vision, quickness, good shoulders to hold you off with and make his move," forward Mark Pope adds. "And he's got that deceptive change of speed great point guards must have, where he just ambles along and then, suddenly, boom....he's right by you. In fact, I think everything is deceptive about Frank."
Such as his demure demeanor -- "Don't be fooled by that," center Travis Knight says. "Frank is as confident in his abilities as any player in the NBA." -- and shy smile. "I'm having the time of my life -- it's just fun to be around these guys," says Williams who admits to love the feeling of comfort. "I tend to be very much influenced by the people around me. And these last couple of months, I never laughed so much. I never imagined there would be this many comedians on the team. Kurt and Shandon (Anderson), especially.....those dudes are fu-u-u-u-n-n-n-ny."
As flashy a passer as he is on the floor, Williams is even quicker to pass credit. "I didn't think that I was that great a high school player, to be honest with you," he says. "But others thought so. I think it was the people I played with. I think it was my surroundings." In Williams' junior year his Peoria Manual team won the Illinois State title. Two of his teammates -- Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin -- went on to play with him at the University of Illinois.
Where Williams became Big Ten Player of the Year after his sizzling sophomore season. And where, after a numbers-wise even better junior year, there were suddenly questions afloat about his intensity and focus.
"That was all bogus," he says with emphasis. "That stuff came from individuals who don't really know the game, who just wanted me to see me do a lot more scoring. But that's not what winning basketball is necessarily about."
Williams decided on becoming an early NBA Draft entry following that year. "It was just a feeling," he says. "I always said I'd leave with my class. I had four years of college (he red-shirted his first season). It was time to go." The right time -- and the right place, too. "Being picked by the Knicks, especially after I got sick and did not work out for them....well, it was like a dream. I'm telling you, it was crazy the way things worked out. I never played at the Garden before. And I always wanted to play here."
"You know what? Injury and all, even if I could I wouldn't change a thing right now," Williams says, soft brown eyes suddenly flashing. "Sure, the wrist has held me back, but just a little bit. But I'm learning a lot, especially with all the attention Coach Chaney and the staff gives me and by watching how Howard (Eisley) and Charlie (Ward) approach the game. How they don't force things. And how they let the game come to them and keep everybody involved."
"So don't get me wrong, I'd love to be playing. But, perhaps in the long run, it's all working out for the best. I know that when I get in there, I'll be really ready."
The quiet rookie's favorite NBA player is Gary Payton -- and not just because the defensively adept Williams had the same nickname, "The Glove", in college. "I love Gary because he talks so much trash while he's out on the floor. That's the way we played back at home. For me, it brings the fun of playing the game to a higher level." Frank's other nickname -- "Nitti" -- was given to him by high school coach Dwayne McLain. "Frank Williams was the leader of the gang on the court, I guess" Williams smiles. "And Frank Nitti was the leader of the gang in 'The Untouchables'."
Williams feels fortunate to be on the Knicks because "this is a particularly nice bunch of guys," he says. "This team has great chemistry off the floor. And believe me, that's very helpful." Has he been in a situation where that was not necessarily the case? "Heck, yeah," he booms. "When I was in high school, on my AAU squad. There were guys who wouldn't even pass the ball to each other. You can't play like that."
"Basketball is all about TEAM -- so I feel I can go as far in the NBA as my team allows me," Williams says. "With these guys here -- they are so helpful, they have so much credibility -- I think I can go real far. Sure, one day I can be one of the best point guards in the NBA."
"Maybe not tomorrow. But one day."
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