(not the Deron Williams of rock’n’roll)
Jody Genesy of the Deseret News ventures into the Jazz locker room with the most pressing question imaginable prior to tonight’s tilt with New Orleans.
Deron Williams continued his comedy routine when asked if he was offended by ESPN columnist Bill Simmons’ much-ballyhooed statement early last fall about how purporting the Team USA teammates to be co-equals was as silly as comparing Pearl Jam and the Stone Temple Pilots.
His response was a smile and a claim that he didn’t know the meaning of the comparison because he isn’t familiar with those rock groups.
“I don’t listen to either of them,” Williams said with a slight grin. “Are they like neck and neck or are they here and there? So, basically what’s that mean?”
When told it means Simmons (aka “The Sports Guy”) considers Paul to be Pearl Jam and far superior ” on the court, and probably in concert ” Williams/Stone Temple Pilots didn’t act too offended.
“Everybody’s entitled to an opinion,” he said. “That’s OK. It doesn’t bother me.”
Kyle Korver also found no offense at Simmons’ comparison.
“I’m a big fan of Stone Temple Pilots,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Given that Korver wasn’t a member of Team USA nor singled out by Simmons, a Hinder reference might’ve been more appropriate.