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Jay Williams signs with New Jersey Nets

By TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer
September 28, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Jay Williams, who is trying to revive his career after a motorcycle accident three years ago, signed with the New Jersey Nets on Thursday.

Terms of the contract were not immediately available, but the deal is not guaranteed. It does allow Williams, a point guard, to try out for the Nets during training camp. He is considered a bit of a longshot to make the team.

Jason Kidd is the Nets' starting point guard, and Marcus Williams, the team's first-round draft pick, is expected to back him up.

Nets president Rod Thorn said earlier this week that the accident has taken away some of Williams' athleticism, but he can make up for that with his knowledge of the game.

"Remarkable young man to get to this point," Thorn said. "Nobody outworks him. He's got a tremendous attitude. He's a guy that everybody roots for the kind of person that he is. He believes he'll make it back. And we're certainly hopeful that he will, too."

Originally drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, Williams averaged 9.5 points, 4.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.15 steals in 75 contests during the 2002-03 season. He was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team.

Williams' career appeared to end on June 19, 2003, when he crashed his recently bought motorcycle into a light pole in Chicago, fracturing his pelvis and tearing knee ligaments and suffering nerve damage in his left leg. He was hospitalized for 3 1/2 months.

The Bulls eventually bought out his contract for about $3 million.

A native of Plainfield, which is about 20 miles from where the Nets play their home games, Williams led Duke to the national title as a sophomore in 2001 and was a two-time All-American and the 2002 Associated Press College Player of the Year.