By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Derrick Williams remains one of the highest drafts picks that ever played in Europe. The no.2 of the 2011 draft is wearing a Panathinaikos jersey for the 2022-23 season and talked to Eurohoops about growing up in LA during the Shaq-Kobe era, picking basketball over baseball, keeping the legacy of Dominique Wilkins and Byron Scott playing for the Greek club and more.
Williams opens up about his experience in Europe, the possibility of returning to the NBA, being drafted at 19 years of age, and not staying more than one season on the same team.
As he said: “I chose to not play in the NBA and really get more experience instead of going to the G-League route. Some people might like it, or might not like it, but at the end of the day when I was drafted I was just a kid, being 19 years old, I was trying to figure out my place. In general, Europe has been great for me because I have been basically able to choose where I want to play and you end happier like that because you are taking the decision. Sometimes in the NBA, you don’t get that opportunity”.