And he wants you to know he's not happy about it.
July 15 -
http://www.newsobserver.com
"I have no clue what happened," Williams told the Contra Costa
(Calif.) Times. "I did what my team needed me to do. I stepped up in
big games."
The 6-foot-9 forward seems especially miffed that players without his
four years of college experience -- and an NCAA title -- were picked
and he was not.
"A lot of those guys can't compete and won't compete at my level,"
Williams said. "How many players have had upside in the NBA and now
they're not even around? Robert Horry doesn't have any upside, but
look what he does. ... And the talk was that people wanted winners."
Jawad has been wondering aloud why he wasn't drafted ever since that
night. He was part of championship team, right? He started over the #2
overall pick, right? He was the senior leader, right? So why wasn't he
drafted?
I don't know, and neither does Jawad. But what's done is done.
With all due respect, Jawad, quit whining.
Don't get me wrong. We love you. Carolina folks look out for their own,
long after they graduate. You played your heart out and gave your all
for four full years, something that doesn't happen often nowadays. You
went from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high. You were
the senior leader on a team that picked itself up and climbed to the
top of the mountain. You've faced adversity and overcome it.
So you didn't hear your name called. Jawad, you've got to pick yourself
up and move on. Your option now is to do the best you can during summer
league, and play yourself onto an NBA roster. You can't talk yourself
there. The continued wondering aloud about draft night is going to get
you nowhere. It can only hurt your chances.
So a team didn't draft you. Show them their mistake, rather than
talking about it. You've got it in you, Jawad. You've shown mental
fortitude and a get-it-done attitude in your years as a Tar Heel.
We're pulling for you. Now, it's up to you to get it done.
Update: Jawad at Golden State -
http://www.nba.com/warriors
Update: Jawad in Cleveland Plain-Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1121333903316850.xml&coll=2
"Draft night is over with, and I've moved on and hopefully everyone
will too," said Williams, a St. Edward High School graduate. "I'm
tired of the question. Sometimes I regret that I didn't leave school
early and I could have developed in the league instead of in college.
But on the other hand, I got my degree and I won a national
championship."
WHAT!? So which is it? Because so many players of your caliber in
college left and became highly successful pros? I thought the argument
went that players developed IN college! I thought playing for one of
the most successful college programs, WHICH WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
YOUR SENIOR YEAR would be the exposure you needed. I thought a highly
successful coach LIKE ROY WILLIAMS would help you develop in your best
interest. That's what he's said all along, at least. Maybe STARTING
OVER THE #2 DRAFT PICK was bad for you, after all. Did you want to sit
behind Marvin Williams in the NBA, or start over him in college?
Dear readers, I really don't think this bad of Jawad. I think he's had
too many microphones shoved in his face, and doesn't know when to stop
talking. He's got to have more self-restraint and move on to the next
topic.
Jawad, just go play like you did in a Tar Heel uniform. Show them they're getting a hard-working leader who never backs down. Above all, just let your game do the talking.
