Deron Williams has always been underrated. In High School, the man was Bracey Wright. In College, the man was Dee Brown. The world is now learning Deron Williams is no longer just another basketball player. Deron Williams has become a man among boys in the NBA.

John Stockton? Pete Marivich? Magic Johnson? No, no, and NO. Deron Williams is his name, and handling the rock, passing the rock, and shooting the rock is his game. Deron, who turned 23 in June was the third overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, drafted by the Jazz. The 6′3, 205lbs. point guard born in Parkersburg, West Virginia elected to attend the University of Illinois, and play for Bill Self. After coach Self left for greener pastures in Kansas, Deron played his final season for the Illini coach Bruce Weber, and boy did that work out. Self’s motion offense was the best thing for Deron, and his teammates Roger Powell, Dee Brown and James Augustine. The Illini, under D-Will’s guidance finished as runner up to the University of North Carolina in the 2005 National Championship game.

D-Will has played two full NBA season. And do we mean full. In his rookie, and sophomore season, he played 80 games. His rookie year he saw 28.5 minutes per game, while last year he was up to 37 per game. His scoring started at 10.8, rose to 16.2 and through three games this season, he has scored 72 points, for a 24.0ppg average. Scoring is really not his best asset either. D-Will can dish the rock. Behind Steve Nash, there is no better point guard in the NBA than D-Will. As a rookie, he averaged 4.5 assists per game, then last year he went to 9.3 a game, and already this year, Deron is averaging 10.7 assists per game. Mr. Double Double!

The Utah Jazz are 2-1 to start the year. If they were playing in the East, they would be head and shoulders above the rest of the league(maybe not Boston), but in the West it’s competition at it’s finest. In Utah’s league alone, the Jazz see Denver(who some claim the best in the West), while teams such as the Spurs, Mavs, and Suns also reside our West.

Even more recently, in Saturday’s game against Golden State(also a pretty solid team), the Jazz scored 133 points. Deron helped the cause, for sure. He scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, along making seven of his final eight shots. If that was not enough Deron dished out 11 assists and had four steals.

Deron Williams is no longer should be a sleeper in the NBA, he is not a flashy, show off type player, but boy is he effective. Deron Williams is definitely a “future playa” in the league!