Top 50: Deron Williams, no. 8

The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.

by Kenny Masenda

When people see the story of Deron Williams, it’s a story that’s littered with him making each and everyone around him better. It has come at the expense of his potential accomplishments and accolades, which is perfectly fine and, maybe, according to the script.

It’s a story that started in high school, flourished in college, and continues in the pros. When he ran the point for The Colony High School, there was another player on his team (Bracey Wright) who got a majority of the accolades. W Deron Williams hen he took his abilities to The Fighting Illini, he took a backseat to two other guards (Dee Brown and Luther Head). And when he was drafted by the Utah Jazz, he was brought along slowly, almost like he was being hazed in an attempt to test the man’s character, by The Great Jerry Sloan.

The thing is when you looked back at those days, you could speak reverently about everyone else at that time, but when you look at October of 2010, there is still one man standing; one man who is now the best point guard in basketball, and did it in a way that should be applauded and appreciated…and that man is Deron Williams.

You may be taken aback when you see the words, “Deron Williams is the best point guard in basketball,” but for me, there’s a different take than what other basketball fans have of the man. It’s one that’s more reflective, more personal, and one that’s not so much rooted solely in what he’s done in the NBA.

It’s one that I’ve been able to witness for the past nine years, well before he put on an NBA uniform.

The story of him is truly about team and truly about doing whatever it takes to win. The man knows how to lead, plain and simple. When you look at what Utah has done with him at the point, it’s truly remarkable. Rarely do you see a franchise lose two legends, two immortals, two Hall of Famers, and have (at least) one fall in your lap so soon and watch him grow before your very eyes. It also helps that he has John Stockton’s seal of approval, and if Utah is able to continue to put players around him, the Jazz will continue to contend in the West for quite some time.

They’ve already made a Western Conference Final and two semi-final appearances with Deron running the show. To take it a step further, in the four years he’s played in the postseason, the teams that beat the Jazz went on to either win or represent the West in the NBA Finals. There’s a reason why some fans aren’t too concerned with Carlos Boozer leaving town and being replaced by Big Al Jefferson, and it’s because of the maestro of their symphony. Williams told Jefferson, as soon as he arrived, that he would make him an All-Star. Once again, it’s all about making others better.

Here’s Williams, someone who finally made the All-Star team for the first time last season, an act of irresponsibility by fans and coaches that should be a first-degree felony for taking so long, talking about how he would give someone else that same feeling of playing in the second weekend in February for the first time in their career. It’s always been about others, and never about self. Maybe that’s part of the reason why some don’t fully understand why the man is so great — his impact will never be fully reflective in the numbers.

When the Jazz need a bucket, he’ll get it. When they need him to make the right pass, he’ll make it. When they need him to make the right basketball play, he will deliver it. It will always be about the imprint he leaves on his teams, and for that reason, here’s hoping the man has an opportunity to someday soon experience basketball immortality, and win an NBA championship. That’s probably what it will take for the masses to realize what some of us have known about him for a long time.

For now, dubbing Deron the best point guard in basketball (and a top-10 player in the L) will have to suffice.

SLAMonline TOP 50 PLAYERS			OVERALL RANK		POSITION RANK
Player	Team	Position	2010	2009	2010	2009
Ray Allen	Celtics	SG	50	36	10	9
Gilbert Arenas	Wizards	SG	49	34	9	8
Lamar Odom	Lakers	PF	48	33	14	10
John Wall	Wizards	PG	47	NR	13	NR
OJ Mayo	Grizzlies	SG	46	46	8	12
Al Horford	Hawks	C	45	NR	6	NR
Jason Kidd	Mavs	PG	44	45	12	10
Joakim Noah	Bulls	C	43	NR	5	NR
LaMarcus Aldridge	Blazers	PF	42	39	13	12
David West	Hornets	PF	41	31	12	8
Monta Ellis	Warriors	SG	40	NR	7	NR
Andrew Bogut	Bucks	C	39	NR	4	NR
Yao Ming	Rockets	C	38	NR	3	NR
Brandon Jennings	Bucks	PG	37	NR	11	NR
Zach Randolph	Grizzlies	PF	36	NR	11	NR
Stephen Curry	Warriors	PG	35	NR	10	NR
David Lee	Warriors	PF	34	NR	10	NR
Brook Lopez	Nets	C	33	NR	2	NR
Gerald Wallace	Bobcats	SF	32	NR	7	NR
Manu Ginobili	Spurs	SG	31	29	6	7
Tony Parker	Spurs	PG	30	15	9	3
Kevin Garnett	Celtics	PF	29	13	9	3
Rudy Gay	Grizzlies	SF	28	44	6	9
Josh Smith	Hawks	PF	27	40	8	13
Andre Iguodala	76ers	SG	26	26	5	6
Al Jefferson	Jazz	PF	25	23	7	7
Russell Westbrook	Thunder	PG	24	NR	8	NR
Chauncey Billups	Nuggets	PG	23	19	7	5
Tyreke Evans	Kings	PG	22	NR	6	NR
Danny Granger	Pacers	SF	21	21	5	5
Carlos Boozer	Bulls	PF	20	32	6	9
Paul Pierce	Celtics	SF	19	17	4	4
Joe Johnson	Hawks	SG	18	20	4	4
Rajon Rondo	Celtics	PG	17	27	5	8
Amar’e Stoudemire	Knicks	PF	16	16	5	6
Steve Nash	Suns	PG	15	22	4	6
Tim Duncan	Spurs	PF	14	6	4	1
Chris Bosh	Heat	PF	13	13	3	4
Derrick Rose	Bulls	PG	12	18	3	4
Brandon Roy	Blazers	SG	11	10	3	3
Pau Gasol	Lakers	PF	10	14	2	5
Dirk Nowiztki	Mavs	PF	9	9	1	2
Deron Williams	Jazz	PG	8	11	2	2

Notes
• Rankings are based solely on projected ’10-11 performance.
• Contributors to this list include: Jeremy Bauman, Maurice Bobb, Erildas Budraitis, Sean Ceglinsky, Ben Collins, Bryan Crawford, Sandy Dover, Adam Figman, Manny Maduakolam, Eddie Maisonet, Ryne Nelson, Doobie Okon, Ben Osborne, Charles Peach, Branden Peters, Quinn Peterson, David Schnur, Todd Spehr, Kyle Stack, Adam Sweeney, Dennis Tarwood, Tracy Weissenberg, Lang Whitaker, Eric Woodyard, and Nima Zarrabi.
• Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive.

Add a Comment
x

Invite a Friend
Your name:
Your email:
Friend name:
Friend email:

Invite a friend
Share
RSS

Tags: Deron Williams, Feature Too, SLAMonline Top 50, Utah Jazz

Read the SLAMonline Discussion Rules before posting.

jahmai

He’s better than CP3, pretty much everyone agreed during the beginning of the playoffs this year.
JTaylor21

Great spot for the 2nd best PG in the league. It’s crazy that people forgot about CP last year because he got hurt but he’s STILL the best PG in the L and will be for the next 10 years. He’s a better passer, rebounder (at 6-1), thief, leader, wins with less talented teammates and shooter (he was shoot 65FG% before he got hurt). 1.CP 2.DWill 3.Nash 4.Rose 5.Rondo
http://scott.r.carter10@gmail.com Scott Carter

HEY, I GOT ONE RIGHT FINALLY!!! I’m guessing #7 will be……hmmm, I’ll go with Carmelo Anthony.
tavoris

how is he the best PG in basketball(I agree with you), but also ranked #2 at his position?
http://www.twitter.com/hurstySYD Hursty

He’s the point guard I want to lead my team. Stats and comparisons to CP be damned.
benno

No 7 – glen davis (uno uno)

And if i was you i would put money on it.
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

1. Kobe
2. Wade
3. Bron
4. Durant
5. Paul
6. Deron
7. Dwight
8. Carmelo
9. Dirk
10.Gasol
My list has gone to sh1t!
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

“one man who is now the best point guard in basketball, and did it in a way that should be applauded and appreciated…and that man is Deron Williams.”???
J.C.

What’s with these write-ups declaring someone the best at their position when there’s still another player at their spot on the board? First Pau, now Deron. Do the writers get the list before they write the article? For the record, right now I’d put Deron > Chris. Dude’s an absolute beast and CP3 sat out all of last season.
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

Dear god – James here. I just want to thank you for everything I have, and having a strong family. The reason I am here today is to ask you for your help. Please, let someone else write the Kobe/Bron write ups this year! Look at this write up, amature, contradicting, and not well written at all. Please have someone like Lang write Kobe’s write up. And maybe San Dova for Brons write up (lol). We are really tired of these terrible write up’s, and we the fans, need SLAM to give us what we want. We have had garbage write up after garbage write up, and last years top 2 articles were (mainly Kobe’s) horrible. So Lord, help SLAM give us what we want. Help them help us. Guide them through their journey. Thanks for listening. Oh, and please give JTaylor a Heart, and Phillis a brain.

AMEN
JTaylor21

Also Lord please bless JamestheBall with another set of jaws preferably a Karrine Steffans “Superhead” model so he can slurp down the Black Mamba in ways his never done before.
Barry

@James the Balla: Amature is not a word, sorry. Also, apostrophes are your friends.
Deron is a great player and he deserves Top 10, but CP3 is still better. Paul was hurt last year, he’s back now and people will remember just how good he was. Even when not playing, he made Collinson into a legitamtely All-Star-calibre player for a while. Williams played consistently well, and was so deserving of his All-Star spot, but Chris Paul is still the best point guard in the league.
http://slamonline.com MVPballer

D-Will is the best point guard right now, ’cause CP3 has been out for so long. I don’t think Williams will be the best PG any longer after a couple of months of regular season play.
BBaller

Love his game and how he made Utah Jazz interesting ( Stockton,Hornacek and Malone never really made the highlight reels, brilliant and effective but….).Will AJ provide him the help he is going to need ?How fit is Chris Paul? Questions Questions???????
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

@JTaylor- I would rather have a set of Angela Dark’s jaw!
@Barry – Thanks, but considering my education is that of a 16 year old, and by no means am I an English teacher, I don’t give a fack. Thanks again though.
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

@Barry, who is Collinson? Let me know because for some reason I only remember Collison backing up Paul… spelling names the correct way is your friend! It let’s people understand what you are talking about.
BBaller

James the Baller to JT21 keep it about the game guys.
BBaller

I’m interested in knowing if people think the Jazz improved or lost in the off season and with D.Will being the leader now in Utah, how will he mesh with the new players?
JTaylor21

Aye, I’m just finishing what someone else started. Also your superb slurp job hasn’t gone unnoticed because remember JamestheBalls; the Lord helps those who help themselves and others.
JTaylor21

@BBaller, I think that they improved especially after they got Jeff because unlike Boozer he will more than hold his own against the Lakers length/size and that gives you guys a better chance of competing with them. People and the media always talked about the Jazz being able to give LA probs the past few years but every time they met in the playoffs, the Jazz always got their a** handed to them due to booz inefficiency vs LA’s frontline.
http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

*raise hand*
http://slamonline.com/ Ryne Nelson

Been on the DWill train since ’04. This man is the best in the L, and people are finally seeing it! Great piece by Kenny.
KB8toSG8

Finally, Deron gets his due. It was really shocking and sad to see Deron not be an all-star along with Paul all the seasons Paul got selected. Both were always neck and neck but nobody seemed to mind Deron……Mad props for the guy!
http://www.slamonline.com J

The best PG’s in 2010 playoffs. 1. Nash and Deron (tied) 2. Rondo..
http://www.slamonline.com J

The best PG’s in 2010 playoffs. 1. Nash and Deron (tied).. 2. Rondo..
JTaylor21

Ryne, explain to me how dude is better than someone that’s a better passer, rebounder, thief, leader, winner, and shooter?????????????
KB8toSG8

@JT21…..really? Paul is a better shooter than Deron? Do you know for a fact that Deron has always OWNED CP3 when they faced head to head? And I’m not just talking about team wins……
JTaylor21

KB8 Uhhhhhhhm when someone was shooting 65% from the field before he got hurt at the PG position he’s a BETTER shooter than DWill. Again don’t use the word OWNED unless he destroyed CP and shut him down, CP got his on the offensive end while DWill did the same, so nobody owned anybody. Ask BCraw he will tell you the exact same ish.
http://www.slamonline.com J

CP3 better winner? The best team CP3 had was in 08. That team was better, than what Deron ever had. Deron made it to WCF. Paul’s best was 2nd round. Now tell me who’s the better winner?
http://www.slamonline.com J

And BTW I like CP3 more than DWill..
http://www.dimemag.com Royal

Deron has one of the sickest handles in the NBA……
http://www.dimemag.com Royal

Field Goal percentage does not always determine who is the better shooter( It just means that they have better shot selection or score in the paint rather than settle for jump shots).
JTaylor21

I said he wins with less talented players. Name one player CP has ever played with that’s as good as CBooz and AJefferson? Take your time I’ll wait……….
http://www.slamonline.com J

@ BBaller: In the frontcourt I think they got better getting Al.. But in the wings, I don’t think so. Ashton Kutcher and Ronnie Brewer, are vital parts.. More importantly Brewer. Hayward is promising but still a rook, and Raja is old, and coming from injury and more of a question than an answer. Though the good things outweighed the not so good.. So still improved overall.
juliusj14

@JTaylor21 there is no evidence at all that Chris Paul is a better winner than D Will. D Will went to a national championship in college, has consistently made the playoffs in Utah, and has made it to the Western conference finals as well. There has never been a point where the Hornets went deeper in the playoffs than the Jazz, they either got eliminated at the same time or the Jazz went deeper. D Will shot is better than Chris Paul’s and in my opinion D Will has a better crossover. Its arguable who is a better passer because Paul plays in a less restrictive and faster offense. Paul is a much better rebounder, he gets more steals, and scores more points. D Will is purely a point guard he’s not super quick or athletic so he doesn’t get lots of steals or rebounds. he’s also so unselfish that he doesn’t try to dominate the offense. I don’t get how a point guard like Steve Nash who averages less than twenty points a game and doesn’t really have ridiculous stats for steals and rebounds is considered so pivotal to his teams success, but Deron Williams is consistently slept on. Deron Williams could average more points a game, but he really is a team first type of guy. Not to say D Will is better than Paul, but dude is very underrated for what he means to his team.
Jeff

All i know is that Chris Paul lost by 59 pts at HOME in the playoffs against the Nuggets two years ago… the so called best point guard in the league should never let that happen
Ctp

Great article. I’m glad the Jazz picked d will over Paul. Especially considering how many games Paul has missed… D will’s size and leadership skills make him the best pg in the league. He puts dudes on skates, too!
http://www.slamonline.com J

Taylor. David West. Same number of all-star appearances. Almost identical stats. He’s as good as Boozer. (*note you said “as good” so.. ) Also Big Al is invalid because he didnt play anything with Deron yet that counts.
http://www.twitter.com/hurstySYD Hursty

Jtaylor – better winner? What? Please explain. And just because you have better stats doesn’t make you a better player. When you watch guys play, you just..know. It’s a gut feeling. They don’t have to have a mammoth impact statistically in order to make their team successful. It’s hard to explain, but again it’s just something you can sense. You can’t sum up the Deron vs CP debate by stats. It’ll come down to personal preference to most people on who they prefer but.. Deron, he just has ‘it’. He gets it. Like when you’re doing math and you finally undertand how to use a formula. Deron’s game is like that. He knows exactly what he wants and how to go about achieving that goal.
http://www.slamonline.com J

And that 08 team that CP3 had is better team collectively than what Deron ever had in Utah. CP3′s 08 team had majority of their players in their best years. Deron always had a guy or two having injury problems come playoff time.
http://www.slamonline.com J

Again I want to clear myself, I like CP3 more. But at this point in time Deron is a “better winner”..
JTaylor21

J, COME ON MAN do you really believe that DWest is as good as a consistent 20/10 guy like CBooz? REALLY!!! Also ALJeff is one of the best post scorers in the L and also puts up 20/10 like it’s nothing. CP has played with less talented players and has produced better all-around numbers than DWill therefore making him the better player.
http://www.twitter.com/hurstySYD Hursty

I’m not ‘hating’ on Chris Paul’s game here either. I just prefer Williams over him if I have to choose a PG on my team, regardless of tempo/style or surrounding players.
http://Slamonline.com nbk

Slam got this spot right. And he wasn’t saying slam has deron as best pg he was saying he personally thinks he’s #1
VisionofGreatness

Nash doesn’t play defense so can’t put him in the top 5 point guard discussion. A point guard has to play on both sides of the floor. Period. I like D-Will in the 8 spot. If he and CP3 stay healthy this season, we will see how much their respective teams win and then we can really judge who may be the best point guard in the league. I predict that the Jazz will win more. Deron Williams never had someone like Tyson Chandler to catch alley oops all the time. He’s had to work harder for his assists in his career. David West has better range than Boozer. So I don’t see how one can say that Chris has had lesser talent around him. I was a big fan of CP3′s before this summer when he decided to become a follower instead of a leader and switched to LeBron’s management team. Let’s see if he can focus on his current team and not the team that William Wesley is trying to get him to go to (Knicks).
http://www.slamonline.com J

Taylor. Again Big Al doesn’t count yet. 2nd I NEVER said Deron is > than CP3. I just said that Deron is better ATM in terms of winning.
http://www.slamonline.com J

Where’s my post? Cmon SLAM??
http://www.twitter.com/hurstySYD Hursty

jtaylor – that’s horrible f#cking logic there mate. If you’re playing with less talented teammates it’s expected that you’d put up bigger numbers. And if you’re going to base your entire arguement on stats (which you’ve done a complete 180 on btw) then yes, you might be right that CP is the better pg. But you’d also naive for making your point totally based on stats.
Tell me – why did Al average 20/10 in Minnesota and earlier in Boston? Lack of help. Meaning increased load bearing. Boozer also had Deron passing him the ball. Like West has Paul throwing it to him.
Ben Flook

The N/O team that got to the West semi’s that year are no where close talent wise to the Utah teams of the last 3/4 years. CP3 was MVP that year, he got robbed! (As much as i love Kobe its the truth) And David West is not ‘as good’ as Boozer. There’s a reason hes 21 places below him in these rankings. Oh and CP3 is on the same level as Kobe and Bron IMO. I think we will all see that this year.
ripslam

DW = not the best PG. Sorry.

Top 50: Deron Williams, no. 8

The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.

Invite a Friend

LATEST NEWS & RUMORS