Career: Illinois (USA-NCAA, 2002-05), Utah Jazz (USA-NBA, 2005-08).

Like the USA’s other gifted guards, Deron Williams has shown he can be a magician with the ball on the court, and with the talent that will be surrounding him in 2008, that’s a good thing to be! Exploding onto the NBA scene after a remarkable collegiate career at the University of Illinois where he became the first player in Big Ten Conference history to lead the conference in assists in each of his first three seasons (conference games only), Williams made the jump to the NBA and collected 2005-06 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors after averaging 10.8 points and 4.8 assists a game. His game continued to skyrocket and in 2007-08 he was not only named All-NBA Second Team, but won the 2008 PlayStation® Skills Challenge and did so in a record time for the final round and defeated USA teammates Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Jason Kidd to claim the title. He averaged in 2008 career highs of 18.8 ppg., an NBA third best 10.5 apg., 1.1 spg., 3.0 rpg., and shot career highs of 50.7 percent from the field and 80.3 percent from the foul line, while also shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point. Earning his first opportunity at the USA senior level last summer, the 6’3” guard made the most of it. Averaging 4.7 points, he passed for a team second (tie) best 4.6 assists a game, while shooting 61.3 percent (19-31 FGs) from the field, and 50.0 percent (5-10 3pt FGs) from 3-point. Williams multiple skills make him a major concern for any opponent.