Nets Introduce Sean Williams

by Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com

Sean Williams, The newest Net, was introduced at the team’s practice facility in East Rutherford today. The 20 year old, 6’10” forward/center shared the dais with Nets Principal Owner Bruce Ratner, General Manager Ed Stefanski, and Head Coach Lawrence Frank.

Though he is obviously his own individual and player, Williams’ skills and makeup has evoked comparisons to a certain defense-first, athletic former Net first-round pick.

“I would compare him to a young Kenyon Martin: an athletic big who can run the floor, he jumps as well as Kenyon did, he covers the floor side to side as well,” said Nets General Manager Ed Stefanski at today’s press conference.

“He will cover multiple positions. When we were looking at him we saw similarities and I don’t want to put pressure on Sean to say he is the next Kenyon Martin but he was like a Kenyon Martin type of player out there.”

It is not coincidental that the Nets have lacked that defensive and athletic force down low since Martin departed for Denver before the 2004-05 season. These kinds of players are hard to come by but the Nets think they have secured one to fit the bill.

Owner Bruce Ratner called the number 17 pick “a very important moment for this franchise; we have our athletic big.”

Said Lawrence Frank, “We’re not the most athletic team up front so Sean is going to be able to assist us in terms of hopefully protecting our rim, running the floor, and finishing at the rim.”

Because he is joining a team consisting predominantly of veterans, Frank said that Williams will only need to come in and do his part.

“I think he’s a very intelligent man, he’s very eager, I think he has a little chip on his shoulder. He has a new and fresh start here in New Jersey. We look forward to incorporating him into our family.”

There is always talk in drafts about if a team should draft on need – for the Nets that would obviously be an inside, shot blocking presence – or if you should draft the best possible player. Frank said the good thing about the Williams pick is that it satisfied both draft strategies.

“Sean obviously fits a need but more importantly – when Rod (Thorn) and Ed (Stefanski) and the scouts were going through the draft process – it always came down to best possible player.”

“Sean met both bills.”

For his part, Williams – who blocked 75 shots in 15 games last season for Boston College, before being dismissed from the team – knows that he has fallen into a great situation. At the end of this past season, he and his agent looked over the potential teams he could go to and definitely saw the Nets as one he could fit in nicely with.

On what he can bring to the team, Williams said, “Hopefully I can block some shots, catch some alleys from JKidd and Marcus Williams, and have some fun out there on the court.”

Stefanski said Williams – who the GM said was the best athlete in the draft - should become a fan favorite right away. The big man should be able to provide momentum-changing blocked shots and arena-raising jams in transition.

“When you watched the shot blocking tapes, you say ‘holy smokes we need this guy big time’,” said Stefanski.

How the Nets were able to get a player of this magnitude has been well-documented. Williams came into the draft with a mark against his name after being dismissed from BC due to repeat violations of team rules. Everything says he had the potential to be a lottery pick but it would be a hard thing for a lottery team to gamble on a player with a troubled past.

Williams says he has learned from his mistakes and looks forward to moving on and having a fresh start with the Nets.

While Williams said he does not pattern his game after other players, he was asked to assess the similarities he sees between himself and Kenyon Martin – the athletic big who is nostalgically lodged in all Nets fans minds. Williams said the similarities are “with just the explosiveness and the energy we bring to the game.”

And as far as the pressure of being – even loosely - labeled the next K-Mart?

“It doesn’t put any pressure on me,” said the big man. “It actually makes me look forward to getting out on the hardwood and showing the fans what I have.”

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