The hometown dream lives on.
As Thursday's 2 p.m. deadline came and went, Alan Williams' 2016-17 contract with the Phoenix Suns became fully guaranteed.
The Phoenix native won two state titles as a star prep player at North High School, which sits just a few miles from Talking Stick Resort Arena. He played his college ball at UC Santa Barbara before traveling to China to begin his professional career.
Williams' play overseas earned him a 10-day contract with the Suns in March, which then got extended a week and a half later. In all, the 6-8 big man appeared in 10 games for Phoenix and averaged 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds. His hustle on the court and exuberance on the bench made Williams a popular figure in the locker room and with fans.
"It was an easy decision for us," Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough told Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "He's played well at two summer leagues. He's really improved from the end of last season. He's transformed his body. He's developing his touch outside the paint and added a push shot."
Williams garnered All-NBA Summer League 2016 First Team honors in July after he averaged 11.8 points and 11.2 rebounds over six games for the Summer Suns. Thanks to his tireless motor and 7-2 wingspan, Williams has led the NCAA, Chinese Basketball Association and two NBA Summer Leagues in rebounding. Not bad for a guy who went undrafted in 2015.
He credits that civic pride to his family, including his mother, Jeri Williams, who earlier this summer became the first female police chief in Phoenix history.
“We’ve talked about, ‘What if we both end up back in Phoenix?’” Williams told Suns.com in July. “Now we’ve both taken the steps to make our dreams come true. I’m still grinding and working to get where she is, but the sky is the limit for us both.
“Some people call it chance, but I call it divine intervention for sure. I think it’s part of the plan that God has put forward for us. It’s an exciting time for us and the great city of Phoenix.”
To no surprise, Williams' coaches and teammates were among the first to congratulate "Big Sauce" on his big achievement. Below are a few tweets from Thursday: