You could hear the reception. You could feel it.
While the Cavaliers warmed up for their annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage at The Q, a nearly-packed house erupted when Mo William made his first appearance on the Humongotron – re-igniting the sports love affair between the city of Cleveland and the man himself.
Athletes have spent longer tenures with a Cleveland team than Williams – who the Cavs acquired from the Bucks in a three-team, six-player trade in 2008 and was dealt to the Clippers mid-way through the 2010-11 season, a deal that paved the way for Cleveland to win the 2011 Lottery and draft the player Williams will back up when he returns to health – Kyrie Irving.
But it wasn’t the length of Mo’s stay on the North Coast that endeared him to the area. It was his play on the floor – averaging 15.6 ppg in parts of three seasons, joining LeBron on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad in 2009. It was his commitment to the community and the city. And it was his loyalty to a franchise that was left licking its wounds during a painful rebuild after the 2010 Playoffs.
After a season-and-a-half in L.A., Mo was dealt to the Jazz – the franchise that drafted him 46 picks after LeBron James in 2003 – before moving on to play in Portland and Minnesota before being traded to Charlotte at the Deadline.
Last year, the 12-year veteran posted his highest scoring average since leaving Cleveland, including a 52-point outburst on January 13 in Indiana.
This offseason, Mo – the married father of (now) five boys – inked a free agent deal with the Wine and Gold and he’ll be thrust directly back into the starter’s role until Irving is ready to roll. He’s about a dozen pounds lighter than he was and sports a new uniform number (52), but he’s basically the same laid-back, affable guy he was when he left.
And as he and his mates geared up for their first preseason game against Atlanta in Cincinnati, Mo took a minute to talk with Cavs.com about his fellow point guards, his mindset during last year’s NBA Finals and this summer’s return to Cleveland – the city he loves and one that loves him back …
What did that ovation before the Wine and Gold Scrimmage mean to you?
Mo Williams: It means a lot, you know, because the feeling is mutual. It sends chills through your body – that the fan-base appreciates you the way this fan-base appreciates me. Every time I put this uniform on, I’m playing for something. So, it’s gratifying.
How much of the city’s love for you is a result of your resilience during the difficult times after the 2009-10 season?
Williams: I think it was more that I was ingrained in the fabric of the community, of the city and what it was all about.
Like myself: I’m an underdog from Mississippi. I’m not about the glitz and glamour. It was a perfect marriage here. So, it wasn’t the fact that we were going through a bad year, it was just a time where the city needed someone to keep positive and keep faith and keep pushing, more than anything else.
But besides that, it was just me as a person. I felt just as bad as the fans! So, I don’t know if it was me trying to do something; I think it was me, just letting my emotions out.
Snapshots from Mo's Cavs career.
Cavs Sign Mo Williams.
How much did your familiarity with the franchise and the city factor into your decision to return?
Williams: That was huge.
It wasn’t that long ago (since I was here). It feels like a while, but it really wasn’t. So, there’s some familiarity here – the same people, a couple familiar faces with teammates, but mostly everyone is new. The front office is pretty much intact, but in a little different capacity. It was definitely a comfort level and an excitement. And the thing about it is, I really enjoyed every single person in the front office. Griff was here before I left.
So, with all those things being said, it was an easy decision for me. Watching these guys fall short last year and me – being, you know, kind of a ‘Cav-at-heart’ – I felt sorry, I felt bad for the city. So that was definitely what made my mind up. When Golden State won that final game, my mind was made up – I was coming back. It was just how much money Griff was gonna give me. (laughs)
How did your family feel about coming back?
Williams: They were excited about it. Whereas, last year, when I went to Minnesota, that was the first year in my career of 13 years that they didn’t come to the city. Minnesota’s a beautiful city – but it’s very cold. And if you have kids and you’re talking about transporting kids back and forth, it’s an adjustment.
But when I made the decision to come here, it was a no-brainer. (My wife) was very excited, started looking at places. My kids love it. They’re big basketball fans. Obviously, they love Bron, they love Kyrie. They know all the players. So they’re excited. So it’s a good thing.
When the family is in a comfort level, that makes a happy home, that makes a positive environment. And when work is the same way, that synergy itself is positive – and you get positive results.
There are some familiar faces, but you have a new head coach and a new system this time around. How comfortable are you in David Blatt’s system and with your new teammates?
Williams: I’m comfortable in it. I like Coach Blatt as a coach, I like him as a person. Obviously, I love my teammates.
I think we’re very talented. We’re more talented than we were the first time around. I think my first time around, we were a great group. One of the best groups I’ve been around in my career. LeBron – that goes without saying. But Kyrie? I mean, I was good my first time around. But that kid is special. So it’s a different talent level.
And I haven’t even mentioned Kevin (Love). And I think this year, he’s in a place where he’s gonna let his game come out. And I think me and him will have a real good chemistry, being that I can shoot coming off pick-and-rolls. I’m gonna draw a lot of attention and he’s gonna get a lot of pick-and-pops, which he’s comfortable doing.
So, I think as a team, we’re gonna be really, really good. But that group – Kevin, Kyrie and Bron – that’s a special trio. And if we get those three healthy and playing to their strengths and you have me, Swish, Shump, Moz, Delly … go on down the line. We can just come in, do our part, play our role and hopefully have some big nights.
What about your group – the point guard unit? You and Kyrie are All-Stars, Delly made a big splash in last year’s postseason and Quinn Cook is challenging for a roster spot.
Williams: I think we’re loaded. And the great thing about that group is that we can slide over and play both positions. We’re not all just “point guards” – we can play off the ball, we can guard multiple positions, the 1 or the 2. So we’re a good group of guys who can play together.
And with that, I think it gives coach more options and it keeps the offense off-balance. We can hit them in a lot of different ways. And if one guy goes down, guys can step in and hold it down. Obviously, we want Kyrie healthy. But this is part of the game and things happen. And you have to have depth. But you have to get lucky, and part of that is staying healthy.
So I’m excited about what we have practicing here for a week-and-a-half. I feel that we really do have a chance to win it all. And every day, we’re getting better chemistry-wise, we’re getting better getting to work, we’re getting better at getting things done. And that’s all you want is progression and to get better every day.
When your head guy, which is LeBron, comes in and he’s taking control of practice, he’s getting on guys, he wants no mistakes, he wants perfection, it flows through the entire team.
What’s different about you this time around?
Williams: Well, for one, I’m more experienced. I have more experience on the basketball court. But I also have more experience as a person, as a man.
I approach things differently. I approach my body differently. I’m about to be 33 years old. I was 26 when I got here. Through that time I’ve had some playoff experience, and a lot of it. So I’m ready for this time around.
The first time I was here, my first playoff experience, we go to the Eastern Conference Finals! And I’m 26 years old! So, in my mind I was ready. But obviously the results, on my part, showed otherwise. And I fought that battle for a couple years. But when I got that chance again, I was ready for it. And again, I got better. And when I look back on it, it prepared me for this opportunity.
You don’t see it back then. But I’m here now and I have an opportunity with a great organization, with a great team, great teammates and a great fan-base. What other place would I rather win the Championship in?