"We have this team book, and everybody has a role in the book," Williams said after practice yesterday at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "My role is, 'Stay aggressive, attack the rim.' It doesn't say, 'Dribble, dribble, dribble, pass, pass, pass.'
"I understand I have to keep things organized, but as far as trying to replace Andre Miller, it's not going to happen."
Miller left in free agency, moving to the Portland Trail Blazers. Williams, who came to the Sixers directly out of South Gwinnett High School in Georgia, moved into a reconfigured two-guard front, part of the Princeton offense that has become a trademark of new coach Eddie Jordan.
Miller was the quarterback, the one talking to teammates as they came out of timeout huddles, positioning them on the floor in the midst of halfcourt sets, making the most of his vast basketball IQ. Williams sees his new role as being part of "a five-guy offense, which is great."
"It's not one guy trying to go up there and make plays for everybody else," he said. "It gives five guys an opportunity to make plays."
Jordan laughingly said, "I'll have a trash can at the door if he needs to cough up before he goes out on the floor; I'll make sure I have that in my scouting report."
No need. Williams will be anything but nervous, even though - three games in the NBA Development League notwithstanding - tonight will be his first start since the McDonald's All-American Game in South Bend, Ind. As a high school senior.
Williams will be in a backcourt with Andre Iguodala, working with forwards Thaddeus Young and Elton Brand and center Samuel Dalembert. The guards will be the primary ones initiating the read-and-react, pass-and-cut offense pieced together by legendary Princeton coaches Bill van Breda Kolff and Pete Carril and refined by various NBA coaches, most recently Jordan.
