Penny on Williams’ thoughts

Marcus Williams thought he had it good when he left for the NBA as a projected first-round pick after two seasons with Arizona. He saw a non-scholastic future with lots of cash, and signing Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant’s agent, didn’t hurt his chances of making it big.

But the former Wildcat was waived by the Austin Toros of the NBA’s Development League on Wednesday – a day before the team’s first game. Fifteen days before that, Williams – the 33rd overall pick in June’s NBA draft – was waived by the San Antonio Spurs after averaging 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in seven preseason games.

It’s not too surprising that he was dropped from a talent-laden Spurs’ squad more in need of a point guard than a small forward. Falling through the D-league is shocking.

Thirty-one players from Arizona were drafted in the Lute Olson era before Williams, and only four of them never saw floor time in an NBA regulation game.

Williams is probably the most shocked.

“”People compare me to Penny Hardaway,”” Williams wrote on his MySpace page. “”I personally think I will end up better than him.””

Seeing as though Williams just turned 21 on Sunday, it’s not impossible for him to end up better than Hardaway. He’s got time, but he’s got a way to go. A long way.

Like Williams, Hardaway played only two seasons in college – with Memphis – and was the third pick overall in the 1993 draft. He played in 82 games with Orlando the following season, averaging over 16 points in 36 minutes per game. He was an All-Star from 1995-1998 and had his own shoe line. Even the Lil’ Penny puppet (with Chris Rock’s voice) from the ’90s Nike commercials made it big.

If we’re ever going to see anything like a Lil’ Williams puppet, Williams needs to step it up.