From Deseret News archives:
Paul, Williams duel for backup job
Now the question is whether Paul can move ahead of Williams and into the No. 2 point guard position on Team USA behind Jason Kidd.
It's one of the story lines playing out behind the closed doors of training camp at Valley High School. Williams and Paul are longtime friends, but both want to play as many minutes as possible in Beijing. They're trying to smile through the inevitable questions about the competition.
"I didn't know it was a big deal," Williams said. "We're going for the same thing, and that's a gold medal. Point blank, that's all we care about is winning the gold. So it doesn't matter."
Paul dismissed questions about who will be Kidd's main backup. "We're on the same team," Paul said. "I'm not battling against him to do anything. If we're all out here battling (against each other) we have a problem if we want to win a gold medal."
Upgrading the point was perhaps the Americans' top priority after their bronze medal showing at the 2006 world championships.
They added Kidd, the lone member of this team with an Olympic gold medal. They also added Williams and subtracted Kirk Hinrich.
"That's obviously our strongest position, because we have three guys who can play it," coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
Paul started six games in Japan two summers ago, and he dished out 44 assists, a U.S. record for the world championships. But the 6-foot, 170-pound Paul struggled against taller, more physical players, and he seemed a long shot to make the Olympic team.
That all changed last season, when Paul blossomed into one of the NBA's top players, earning first-team All-NBA honors and finishing second to Kobe Bryant in the MVP voting. He became the first player since John Stockton in 1992 to lead the league in assists and steals, averaging 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
Suddenly, leaving Paul off the team seemed unthinkable.
Asked to assess Paul's improvement since 2006, Krzyzewski said, "I think he's quicker and stronger and more decisive. I guess that's one of the reasons he was almost MVP. He's grown immensely."
Comments
- Iran began nuke plant 7 years ago 9:32 a.m.
- Downpours swamp Mid-Atlantic 9:31 a.m.
- John King replacing Dobbs show 9:30 a.m.
- Obama announces jobs forum 9:29 a.m.
- Oil falls below $79 7:53 a.m.
- Stocks open lower 7:53 a.m.
- Iranian Consulate fatally shot 7:49 a.m.
- AP poll: Family dinner survives 7:47 a.m.
- Palestinian election may be called off 7:45 a.m.
- Balloon boy parents to plead guilty 7:44 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Crash kills Utah County man
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Will state consider gay rights law?
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars practice with urgency
- House passes health care bill
289 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
254 - TCU showdown has big implications
195 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
101 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101
is on kjzz. 6 30 pm.
No, Cynthia, those different relationships do not require different forms of...
So far this season 1. DWill 2. Boozer 3. Kirilenko 4. Okur 5....
@ So Easy no ute RB is worthy to tie Luke Staley's shoes. Doak Walker...
How dare CNN talk bad things about Bush. Just look at what a wonderfull job...
Now enter the government and establishes a new protected class of citizen...
That Ernest T. Bass is such a kidder. He's such a good satirist, too. I...
If memory serves me correctly LaValle's first coaching job was as a...
This is the central Mormons message of works. "God helps those who help...
When is the last time there was a story about broken liquor bottles in an LDS...


You can be the first to comment on this story.