The Minnesota Timberwolves rebuilt their wing rotation this offseason, signing free agent Andrei Kirilenko and trading for Chase Budinger. But 2011 first-round pick Derrick Williams is still a major part of that equation, and the ex-Arizona Wildcats star dedicated himself this offseason to tailoring his body to play small forward.
Williams has reportedly lost 10 pounds and trimmed his body fat to 7.3 percent, which he believes will make him better suited for the three. Williams played on the wing some last year, but felt like he was too heavy to consistently guard the position. But Williams will also have to improve his skillset and effort, the latter of which coach Rick Adelman says was noticeably different in the team's first practice.
"Last year, he just floated, you'd see it once in a while," Adelman said. "Today, he just played with more authority. He just played harder. That's the difference. You've got to play hard in this league. You can't cruise or it's not going to work. I was pleased the way he played today. We'll see if it continues on."
(via Minnesota Star Tribune)
Williams had a middling season last year. He showed flashes of dominance but was generally inconsistent at best, shooting only 41 percent from the field and 27 percent from three.