"New York is not for everybody"- Deron Williams considered stepping away from basketball while playing for the Nets

Deron Williams was considered one of the most promising point guards in the NBA. The third pick in the 2005 draft, he was selected just before Chris Paul, who went at No. 4. D-Will began his pro basketball career with the Utah Jazz and was touted as the future face of the franchise.

He spent six years in Salt Lake City, making the Western Conference Finals in his sophomore season. Williams achieved several notable feats during his Jazz tenure, including All-Star and All-NBA selections. However, things took a turn after his fallout with the late Coach Jerry Sloan.

A heated disagreement between the former Jazz player-coach duo resulted in Sloan resigning from his post overnight. Many believe Williams was the primary reason behind the veteran coach wanting out. Consequently, after a week or so, D-Will was traded to the New Jersey Nets.

While Williams did have an impressive start to his assignment with the Nets, he failed to build on it. Growing tired of the constant criticism and scrutiny, D-Will considered quitting the game at one point.

"It took a lot out of me, man, those three years. Some of the hardest in my life. Made me question if I even wanted to play basketball when I was done with that contract,"said Williams, who spent five seasons with the Nets.

Falling short of expectations

The acquisition of D-Will came at an interesting juncture, with the Nets about to shift base from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Heading into the 2012-13 season, the two-time Olympic Gold medalist signed a five-year $98 million contract with the franchise, with the hope of building long-term.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, with Deron's stats declining rapidly. The veteran guard found himself struggling with injuries. Undergoing wrist surgery in his first year in Brooklyn, Williams suffered from serious ankle issues, requiring platelet-rich plasma treatments.

"It's cool. There's a lot of people, I guess, who aren't built for New York… New York is not for everybody," said Williams, with injuries and the constant scrutiny taking a serious toll on him.

There came a point when D-Will even considered retirement, but fortunately, he reached a buyout with the Nets in 2015. Starting fresh, he signed a two-year deal with his hometown team, the Dallas Mavericks, a franchise he had shown keen interest in before.

Related: "It was the most sad I was in my basketball career" - Joakim Noah explains why making millions in the NBA didn't bring happiness

Failed talks during the 2012 free agency

While Williams had intended to sign with the Nets during his free agency in 2012, he did not get the desired reception from the opposite side. He once revealed how the former majority owner, Mark Cuban, was a big reason he didn't end up in Dallas.

"A lot of the questions that me and my agent had for them really didn't get answered that day. I think if he (Cuban) was there, he would have been able to answer those questions a little bit better," revealed D-Will, admitting Cuban's lack of interest was key behind his returning to Brooklyn.

While Williams did end up playing for the Mavericks in 2015, it is a little strange that things didn't work out in 2012, especially after Jason Kidd left Dallas and signed with the New York Knicks during his free agency. The Mavs could have indeed used D-Will's services.

Related: Deron Williams responded to Kobe Bryant after he questioned his mentality: "I'm a point guard"

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.