SALT LAKE CITY - Way back in the ‘90s, when Justin Anderson was just about to get out of diapers, Deron Williams was playing on his 7th-grade AAU-level basketball team.
One of his coaches was Derek Harper.
“I’ve known Mr. Harper for a long time,” Williams said Friday afternoon. “He’s helped me a lot.”
Harper was just one of many mentors who steered Williams to a long and prosperous NBA career. Against the Jazz on Friday, Williams went into the game needing eight assists to pass Harper for 21st place on the NBA all-time assists list.