Derrick Williams had just dropped a game-high 21 points in his third Knicks appearance, a frenetic performance Monday that included six turnovers, a reverse dunk and an improbable four-point play to juice up the home crowd.
During the subsequent media session that delved into the beginnings of his disappointing NBA career, a key character in his story, the Timberwolves, was never mentioned. And it felt like Williams preferred that his original franchise remain nameless - a distant memory.
"They picked me back in 2011. I didn't pick them," he said.
There were rumblings that Williams would be taken first overall in that 2011 draft, ahead of even Kyrie Irving.