Ex-NBA Star Deron Williams Names Only Player He'd Want To Fight

Deron Williams already had the fighter in him even during his time in the NBA.

On Saturday, December 18, former Brooklyn Nets star Williams scored a split decision win over NFL star running back Frank Gore in his boxing debut.

Leading to the fight, Williams had been opening up about the significance of combat sports in his life and was even quizzed to name an NBA player he would like to fight.

According to the 37-year-old, it would be his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Dahntay Jones.

“The guy I used to get into it with was Dahntay Jones,” Williams told Sports Illustrated. “Couldn’t stand him because he always tripped me. Always played hard on D. Was one of those guys that tried to get under your skin and I would’ve said him until I played with him in Cleveland and he became my boy.”

“I love Dahntay, but before that, it was probably him."

After playing his last NBA game in 2017, Williams has begun training in different combat sports.

He was supposed to make his mixed martial arts debut in early 2020, but his opponent backed out.

The pandemic hit and he was forced to just sit and wait for another big break.

Fortunately, he finally got the chance to show what he’s capable of inside the ring when he was slated for an exhibition boxing match against Gore, an undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley II fight.

“I’ve always been drawn to combat sports,” the three-time NBA All-Star told Chicago Sun-Times. “Wrestling was my first sport. I’ve always been a big boxing fan, a big MMA fan. I’ve always wanted to do a fight since I retired [from the NBA].”

“Look, I’ve been training for years,” he added. “Part of MMA is, of course, boxing. This opportunity came and I just felt like if it was here and I passed it up, that I’d kick myself for it.”

Williams put on an impressive performance and outscored Gore in total and power punches landed to get the judges' votes.

Speaking after the fight, Williams pointed out that he hopes his win could finally end the stigma of basketball players being viewed as “soft.”

"I always was a physical point guard," he stressed post-fight. "I never shied away from contact, and I showed that today. People think basketball players are soft, but I never was one. That's what I was looking to accomplish here today."