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Deron Williams was drafted third overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2005 NBA Draft. He spent almost six seasons with the team, leading them to four postseason appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals. However, Williams believes that NBA players have no interest in joining the Utah Jazz.
Deron Williams appeared on former teammate Raja Bell's podcast, Real Ones with Raja + Logan. He told Bell and co-host Logan Murdock that, despite trying, he was unable to convince other players to join him in Utah, stating:
"I had been around all the best players in the world. I had played in the Olympics. I was trying to recruit everybody. I'm talking everybody. Nobody's coming to Utah… No person I ever talked to was interested in coming to Utah. It just was a reality. So, I felt like I had to go somewhere else."
It comes as no surprise that NBA stars will not have the Utah Jazz atop their priority list. Being in a small market, teams must be true contenders to attract top free agents. While the Jazz have consistently been a playoff team, they haven't been true contenders since the late-1990s.
After trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the 2022 offseason, Williams' comments resurfaced. The Jazz may even be unable to attract stars with their newfound cap space. They will likely need to rebuild through the draft.
Watch Deron Williams' full appearance on Real Ones with Raja + Logan below:
Deron Williams' boxing career
Deron Williams has had a second life as an amateur boxer. He recently faced retired NFL running back Frank Gore in a boxing match, where he won by split decision. Williams has trained in boxing and mixed martial arts for years, but many were surprised by his performance.
Williams stated that he had no interest in furthering his boxing career after the fight. However, he was recently called out by another former NFL running back, Le'Veon Bell.
Bell picked up a victory in an amateur match against another former NFL star running back, Adrian Peterson, via a fifth-round technical knockout.
Williams has yet to publicly respond to Bell and it remains to be seen if he will do so in the future. Considering that he made over $150 million in his NBA career, from on-the-court earnings prior to endorsements, Williams likely doesn't need the money and would only accept a fight due to his passion for the sport.
Guess the Lakers players!
