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A slow, determined recoveryLaying semiconscious on a curb next to his crumpled motorcycle and an unforgiving light post, Jay Williams saw at least part of his life flash before his eyes after his horrifying accident June 19. It was the part of Williams' life that inspires him to overcome the severe injuries he suffered that evening. "The first thing I was thinking about was not whether I would live or die, but that I wanted to play basketball again,'' Williams said. "I didn't want to throw it all away.'' It took Williams 3-1/2 months to feel comfortable enough to discuss the incident. He conducted several phone interviews Monday from the house he's renting in Raleigh, N.C., while rehabbing at Duke's medical facilities. Williams, 22, remembers the crash. "I put the bike into second gear and I revved the gas a little, and all of a sudden my back wheel flipped or something and I lost control,'' he said. "I started heading toward a pole and I tried to turn at the last second, but I hit the pole with the left side of my body. "I remember being on the ground, on the curb. It's weird how the body sets up a natural anesthesia because I couldn't feel anything. Then I blanked out, and I woke up and guys were putting me in an ambulance. Then I blanked out, and I woke up in a hospital. That's when I realized how serious it was. Then it got to the point where I didn't want to die.'' Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Could Bulls lose Williams in expansion draft?Jay Williams is hoping to begin his basketball comeback next year in training camp. Will he be coming back with the Bulls? Or could he belong to the Charlotte Bobcats by then? Early next summer - perhaps before Williams has a chance to prove his health - the Bulls must settle on eight players to protect in the upcoming expansion draft. One possible list of eight would include Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer, Kirk Hinrich, Donyell Marshall, Jalen Rose and Scottie Pippen. In this scenario, Williams, Eddie Robinson, Roger Mason Jr. and possibly some others would be unprotected. If that turns out to be the case, Williams would be a tempting selection for Charlotte, which begins play next season. Should Williams fully recover from his June 19 motorcycle accident, the Bobcats would have a talented guard who played college basketball nearby at Duke. If Williams did not pan out, his contract could expire in 2005. "There are going to be tough choices for every team," Paxson said. "Since we have so many young guys, we're going to have it more difficult than some. Contracts will be involved. We've talked about it already and I have a preliminary list in mind." There are other strategies for the Bulls to employ. One is leaving Rose unprotected, gambling that Charlotte would not select a player owed $47 million over the final three years of his contract. Or the Bulls could leave Pippen, who will be 39 by next season, off the list. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Williams to discuss his rehabBulls guard Jay Williams will make his first public comments Monday since sustaining serious injuries in a June 19 motorcycle accident. The injuries to his left knee and pelvis have required several surgeries and will knock the second-year guard out for the entire 2003-04 season, which begins Tuesday when players with three years or less experience report to training camp. Veterans report for annual media day festivities on Thursday. Williams' camp is optimistic he will return at some point, perhaps for the 2004-05 season. Bulls management isn't sure, which is one reason why it drafted rookie guard Kirk Hinrich in June. Williams is rehabilitating in Durham, N.C. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Bulls Sep 2003 Archive
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