Aaron Williams says the New Jersey Nets of that era were more dangerous than people remember, and that Jason Kidd changed the team almost immediately.
“I thought we were pretty good,” Williams told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “We had a good young nucleus mixed with some solid veterans,” adding that if the group had stayed together longer, “we would’ve been alright.”
When Kidd arrived, Williams said the lesson came fast. “You see the highlights and the fancy passes on TV, but we learned within the first couple of days that he was a leader on defense,” he said.
Williams said Kidd’s value went beyond the flashy assists that made him famous. “Defensive intensity starts with the point guard,” Williams said, noting that what stood out was “the grind on a highlight reel” that fans never saw.
That era also put Williams face to face with Shaquille O’Neal in back-to-back Finals, and he did not soften his assessment. “I’ll tell you what—it wasn’t boring for us!” he said with a laugh.
“The number one question I get asked is who the toughest person I ever had to guard was, and it’s not even close. It’s Shaq,” Williams said. “For someone to be that large, that skilled, and to understand leverage and body positioning like he did… the only thing he couldn’t do was shoot free throws.”
He said the challenge was even worse because of the rest of that Lakers machine. “You throw in Kobe? It didn’t get any easier,” Williams said. “It’s much easier said than done to defend someone of his stature when you have Kobe scoring from everywhere and shooters like Derek Fisher and Rick Fox spaced out so you can’t help off them.”
Williams also drew a direct line between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. “Kobe is the closest thing you can get to being Michael Jordan without actually being Michael Jordan,” he said. “The attitude, the aggressiveness, the work ethic—it’s the total package.”
Looking back on the 2003 Finals against San Antonio, Williams said that series felt more playable without Shaq on the floor. “Anytime Shaq is not on the floor, it’s a better matchup!” he said. Still, he gave credit where it was due: “Popovich is a great coach and Tim Duncan just did whatever was necessary to get the win.”
Williams also praised Kidd’s passing touch, saying the key was simple. “Just always, ALWAYS expect the pass to come to you,” he said. “There’s NO selfishness to him.”
For Williams, the old Nets’ near-miss remains one of the league’s forgotten what-ifs. “We were close to being really good,” he said, “but I just don’t think they gave that team enough time.”
