<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Suns have offered center Scott Williams an assistant coaching job, which he could take immediately, but the 13-year NBA veteran wants to keep playing. "I can neither confirm nor deny that," Williams said, smiling, when asked about the offer. "There will come a time when I'll be ready to step into another role in basketball, but right now all I've known is being a player. That's what I'm comfortable with, and that's what I want to continue to do. But an opportunity to enter coaching at this level is a fantastic opportunity that has to be seriously considered." Williams said it would be a difficult adjustment in the middle of a season. "It would be a strange transition going from banging alongside the guys, then all of a sudden yelling at them for not running back on defense," he said. "You can't start yelling at somebody for trying to short-cut a drill when I was doing it a week ago. "I'm enjoying playing right now, and that's what I want to continue to do however much time I have left - whether it's three months or a year or two years. I'll be upset with myself five, 10, 15 years down the road if I didn't think I tried to maximize everything I possibly could. "There are thousands of people that would like to do what I do for a week, playing in the NBA. I don't think I want to pass up any of that." Williams, who is on the injured list because of back spasms, realizes he may not be activated again this season as the Suns have gone with a youth movement. "It's been hard from the standpoint I'm a competitor - I want to go out and help the team win," he said. "I don't feel as if I have a role in that right now. I do feel I can help some of these younger players understand the NBA game, bond with one another."</div> http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0122sunsnb0122.html
I never really thought of Williams as a coach before, but out of any players on the Suns he is probably the most likely to go with that area as soon as he retires. I agree with him though, transitioning to an assistant at this point in the season would be too rough.
I can't see him converting from player to an assistant coach this fast in this point of the year. I really never get to see any "backstage action" so I don't know how well he can take charge or anything. If he can be an average assistant coach converting from a player to an AC this fast in this time of the year, I'd rather him wait til the next season. Do a bit more... Uhh... can't think of the word... Study more on the AC job. Losing a player just to get an average coach in the middle of the year with a less than decent team... I'll pass... But like I said, I dunno how well he can do the job so my views maybe be a lil off.
I gotta agree with Williams, since a transition like that is extremely hard. From a players p.o.v., Scottie won't be as much of an authority figure since he was their peer so shortly before. But when he does accept a coaching position, I'm confident that he'll do a great job. I can't see him as a head coach, not for many more years, but as an assistant, definitely. So many of Phil Jackson's former players have turned out to be good coaching material, or potential coaching material, and Scott fits along with the trend. I wouldn't be surprised if one of his former teams tries to lure him back as an assistant too, like Chicago, Philly, or Milwaukee.
