Diving in with Deron and the Jazz
While leaving for Utah Jazz media day Monday, I smiled at my wife and said, “See you next summer.” I won’t tell you her response. Let’s just put it this way: I’m much more excited that the NBA is back in session than she is.
As I figured, media day did not disappoint. Here are a few of the gems from Day 1 (a.k.a. “A.K. Day”):
- You might consider him the best point guard in the world. Many media members will at least graciously include him in the same breath as Chris Paul. But Deron Williams thinks he hasn’t quite reached his potential. And he’s humble about it. That’s evident by what he focused on this offseason: “I just work on everything, every year. … I’m not the best at anything I do, so I can always get better.”
- Cliff diving is one area he has much room for improvement in, according to Kevin O’Connor. The general manager gave Williams some tough marks for the caught-on-video backflip leap he did off a cliff at Sand Hallow Reservoir in southern Utah this summer.
“I was a little disappointed in him that he didn’t get in a tuck position a little bit better and that his arms were a little too far out,” O’Connor said, tongue-in-cheek. “I gave him an eight.”
O’Connor also gave Williams some good-natured grief, even calling him “Flipper” on SportsBeat Sunday. But he wasn’t as uptight about the daredevil dive as some might assume. He said you could go “crazy” thinking about all of the wild adventures NBA players might do in the offseason.
“But I will say this – it wasn’t 60-foot dive that he did,” O’ Connor added.
That, by the way, was not a challenge.
No word on whether Williams has been extended a post-NBA career gig diving at the Miller-owned Mayan Restaurant, either.
Now, you be the judge:
- New point guard Earl Watson was asked about moving to Utah, where he’s been since the end of last week.
“Altitude. My first impression is breathing is very difficult,” he said with a smile. “It’s my 10th year in the NBA. You pretty much expect it. You have fun with it and you become better.”
Here’s guessing he had more fun with the altitude on media day than he will during two-a-days this week.
- Kyrylo Fesenko reported to camp looking noticeably thinner than he’s been in the past. In fact, he lost so much weight the not-so-big Ukrainian will no longer be in the NBA’s exclusive three-member 300-pound club. He tipped the scales at 285 (pounds, not kilos) on Monday morning.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan’s response to Fesenko being lighter drew loud laughter: “Lighter in the wallet?”
For the record, Fesenko’s wallet actually gained weight earlier Monday when he signed a $1.1 million contract for the season.
- Couldn’t help but chuckle at a few observations:
1. Big Al Jefferson, an avid angler, getting his picture taken with a fishing pole that had a pink bobber.
2. Andrei Kirilenko’s new hair style that made him look like Shaggy from Scooby Doo.
3. Fesenko saying, A) He’ll win over any fans his contract indecision might have cost him because, “I have a pretty smile.” And, B) Him trying to claim with a straight face, “I couldn’t imagine, like, my career without Jerry.”
Ah, it’s good to be back.