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ShareGreg Buckner and Monty Williams Quotes
After signing their contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 25, Sixers GM Billy King introduced Greg Buckner and Monty Williams to the media.
Billy King's opening comments
We are here today to announce that we have signed Greg Buckner and Monty Williams to contracts. I think they are both players that we’ve been looking for, for a long time. We have followed their careers, and it is great to have them.
Both of them are versatile players that can play different positions. That is one thing that we strive to do. We strive to become more versatile. They fit in the mold, playing defense that we want to play. It helps us to become more athletic.
Guard Greg Buckner
What do you hope to accomplish as a Sixer?
I just want to come in and find a way to win a title. My biggest concern is that I fit in.
What are your thoughts on coming to the Sixers?
Being in the Western Conference, you really don’t pay much attention to the Eastern Conference. It’s all new to me. I welcome the opportunity, and we’ll see what happens.
What is position do you play the best?
I have been told so many times that I don’t have a position. I think I am just a basketball player. I do whatever it takes for the coach. Whenever he says he wants me to do something, that’s what I am going to do. That is my plan- to go out and have fun.
People criticize you that you don't really have a position. Does that bother you?
You are going to have critics, but you are also going to have people that are behind you and push you to have you do things. I think Coach Brown and his staff are going to allow myself to do that and a lot of different things.
It doesn’t matter. I just like to guard the best player on the wing. That’s how I’ve always been. That’s been a challenge, trying to shut down the best player on their squad.
Talk about playing for the Sixers
I think Coach Brown is an excellent teacher. They love to play that defense. You have a guy like Allen Iverson who can score, and you have Dikembe (Mutombo) that’s on the right, seeing if there are any mistakes out there behind you on the defensive end.
Forward Monty Williams
When did you first learn about the Sixers interest in you?
I heard about it the first week of free agency. I really didn’t think about it us much as I did until this past week, because I always thought it was a done deal in Orlando playing for Doc (Rivers). Then things kind of broke down with the new system, the climate in the NBA of the luxury tax and things like that. I even talked to Doc, and he told me that Philly was going to make a run at me. I found out this week. I told my wife and she was really, really excited about the new opportunity because she likes cold weather and all that stuff.
I have been around Coach Brown for a few years. I look forward to trying to help this team win a title. I don’t have any expectations. I have been around long enough to know that I have to go in with an open mind.
Talk about the Sixer / Orlando games
When I played in Orlando, people looked at Orlando and Miami as a rival. The past three years I’ve been in Orlando, Philly has been the team for us that got us going. We have had so many close games, games at the buzzer, last second shots, and we both played pretty similar styles, hard defensive teams. I hated going against them for one reason- they were so physical and once you got past the physical guys, you risked the chance of getting elbowed by Dikembe or something like that. It was just one of those teams that you just didn’t look forward to playing on the road.
Billy King's opening comments
We are here today to announce that we have signed Greg Buckner and Monty Williams to contracts. I think they are both players that we’ve been looking for, for a long time. We have followed their careers, and it is great to have them.
Both of them are versatile players that can play different positions. That is one thing that we strive to do. We strive to become more versatile. They fit in the mold, playing defense that we want to play. It helps us to become more athletic.
Guard Greg Buckner What do you hope to accomplish as a Sixer?
I just want to come in and find a way to win a title. My biggest concern is that I fit in.
What are your thoughts on coming to the Sixers?
Being in the Western Conference, you really don’t pay much attention to the Eastern Conference. It’s all new to me. I welcome the opportunity, and we’ll see what happens.
What is position do you play the best?
I have been told so many times that I don’t have a position. I think I am just a basketball player. I do whatever it takes for the coach. Whenever he says he wants me to do something, that’s what I am going to do. That is my plan- to go out and have fun.
People criticize you that you don't really have a position. Does that bother you?
You are going to have critics, but you are also going to have people that are behind you and push you to have you do things. I think Coach Brown and his staff are going to allow myself to do that and a lot of different things.
It doesn’t matter. I just like to guard the best player on the wing. That’s how I’ve always been. That’s been a challenge, trying to shut down the best player on their squad.
Talk about playing for the Sixers
I think Coach Brown is an excellent teacher. They love to play that defense. You have a guy like Allen Iverson who can score, and you have Dikembe (Mutombo) that’s on the right, seeing if there are any mistakes out there behind you on the defensive end.
Forward Monty Williams When did you first learn about the Sixers interest in you?
I heard about it the first week of free agency. I really didn’t think about it us much as I did until this past week, because I always thought it was a done deal in Orlando playing for Doc (Rivers). Then things kind of broke down with the new system, the climate in the NBA of the luxury tax and things like that. I even talked to Doc, and he told me that Philly was going to make a run at me. I found out this week. I told my wife and she was really, really excited about the new opportunity because she likes cold weather and all that stuff.
I have been around Coach Brown for a few years. I look forward to trying to help this team win a title. I don’t have any expectations. I have been around long enough to know that I have to go in with an open mind.
Talk about the Sixer / Orlando games
When I played in Orlando, people looked at Orlando and Miami as a rival. The past three years I’ve been in Orlando, Philly has been the team for us that got us going. We have had so many close games, games at the buzzer, last second shots, and we both played pretty similar styles, hard defensive teams. I hated going against them for one reason- they were so physical and once you got past the physical guys, you risked the chance of getting elbowed by Dikembe or something like that. It was just one of those teams that you just didn’t look forward to playing on the road.
