Deron Williams Will Be an MVP Candidate in 2009

As I sat second row at the Utah Jazz intra-team scrimmage, I noticed one thing more than any other—the killer instinct of Deron Williams. Deron's team was down most of the scrimmage.  At first Deron was just out there having fun, trying to get his teammates involved and putting on a show for the crowd. But as soon as the fourth quarter hit, everything about Deron changed. He got a fierce look in his eyes, he stopped joking around with other players, and his desire to win was about as palpable as the chair I was sitting in. Deron helped his team overcome a 17-point second half deficit to tie the score (the scrimmage ended in a tie). I was left sitting amazed at what I just witnessed. On TV you can see Deron take over games, but it is nothing compared to being there in person. I sat wondering what Deron's intensity would be like in a playoff-elimination game, if this is how strong it was in a free scrimmage to the public. There are not many players in the league that can match ... (link)