Utah Jazz: Williams happy as Gilmore about his tournament

LEHI — Deron Williams couldn't help but smile while talking about his charity golf tournament on Saturday afternoon.

At least he was before the shotgun start.

No word on how he felt after 18 holes and the 32-team scramble tournament had wrapped up at Thanksgiving Point, but Williams was as happy as Gilmore when discussing how generous sponsors, celebrities and others had been to this event.

Williams didn't discuss financial figures, but the star point guard declared his annual charity fundraiser — this one benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and his own Point of Hope Foundation — to be the most successful one he's held. Even before an auction, more money than ever had been raised for a good cause.

Williams, who's previously donated raised funds to battle cancer and autism, picked JDRF as his charity this year, in part because his grandparents had diabetes and because former Jazz owner Larry H.

Miller passed away from complications of the adult-onset disease earlier this year.

That makes the cause all the more personal, giving him all the more reason to be excited about the "biggest turnout."

"This is our best year yet," he said. "I'm very excited this year.

"Every year it's gotten better, more people come."

Among the celebrities who attended the golf tournament and/or a fundraising dinner Friday night were teammates Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, C.J. Miles and Ronnie Price; front-office personnel Kevin O'Connor and Randy Rigby; former Jazz guard Dee Brown and ex-Dallas center Shawn Bradley; and several BYU and Utah football alumni.

Participating golfers were able to bid for the golfing services of celebrities. Williams wasn't sure who had bought him off, but that group was getting a pro basketball player who shot a respectable 7- over-par 81 on the challenging course on Friday.

"Swing's looking good," he said with a smile.

It should be, if you ask Ronnie Price.

When asked which Jazz player had the best golf game — aside from Kyle Korver, who participated in last week's State Am — Price quickly joked about Williams' improvement.