by In a crowded side room, Ziaire Williams tries to separate herself.
The Brooklyn Nets are about to enter the first year of a total rebuild, paving the way for young guys who need a second chance to establish themselves as future contributors. Williams, the 10th overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft, has enthusiastically accepted head coach Jordi Fernandez’s challenge to become one of the team’s top defenders.
“Hell yeah,” the 23-year-old responded when discussing the goal with the New York Post. “So [assistant] Coach Steve [Hetzel]You know, he’s our main defender. We watched a lot of movies together and he had a lot of good things to say. And of course there are a few things I need to work on.”
“It was great, man, so I just rely on my work and the staff every day. And so does Coach [Fernandez] says, I’m just trying to get one percent better.
As a castaway with the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams gets a real fresh start in Brooklyn. Known as a player development guru, Fernandez brings the right tools to help him unlock his potential. But for the 41-year-old, it’s about more than just a reset.
“A fresh start is good, but at the end of the day you need consistency because you can’t keep making fresh starts,” he said. “You can’t say, ‘Oh, I’m done here. I’m going somewhere else.’ Sometimes when you get punched in the mouth, it’s good to recover and then look at yourself in the mirror and say, “What did I do wrong that I can fix myself?”
As the regular season approaches, Nets fans will find encouragement in how quickly the new faces seem to be embracing Fernandez’s philosophy.
Brooklyn will take on Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks in their season opener on October 23 at 7:30 PM EST.
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