BY Kristie Ackert
Nets star Deron Williams, playing in Turkey during the NBA lockout, said he and his family were fine after the deadly earthquake that hit the country Sunday.
Williams said via Twitter that the 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit hundreds of miles from their home in Istanbul.
“Thanks everyone for checking on me I’m OK the quake was very far from Istanbul,” Williams tweeted.
Nets general manger Billy King had been in Turkey to see Williams play Saturday night. He was already on a plane and on his way home when the quake hit.
“Glad to be back in the US. Sad to hear abt earthquake in Turkey. Not sure how many people on the plane know yet,” King said on his Twitter account.
Williams also tweeted that his prayers were with the victims of the earthquake. At least 89 people were confirmed dead Sunday afternoon and authorities fear more could be lost after dozens of buildings in the area collapsed.
The ongoing NBA lockout even managed to affect the normal calls of a concerned person in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Nets coach Avery Johnson had to dance around the rules – which don’t allow him to discuss NBA players or the lockout – when asked about his concern for Williams’ well-being.
Johnson admitted the lockout has affected him, joking he needs a training camp to lose the extra weight he has put on.
The awkward relationship between the league and its players also limited what Johnson could say Sunday as he spoke to about 75 children at a clinic at the Nets practice facility.
“You can’t say all that you usually say,” Johnson explained, “I just tried to reinforce the message they already get from their parents.”
The lockout, which began July 1, has already cost the NBA games scheduled through Nov. 14, or 100 games. After talks between the union and league broke down last week over the cut of the basketball-related income the players should share in, it is likely more games will be lost.
Unable to talk about coaching players like Williams, which would immediately impress the children, Johnson drew on his own life experiences. That included his 1999 NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs. That was the last NBA season shortened by a labor dispute.
Johnson said that the Spurs were successful in the lockout-shortened season because it was a veteran team.
“We already knew what we had to do,” Johnson said. “I was always the underdog, trying to prove I belonged, so I was already used to working out three or four times a day.”
via Deron Williams tweets he’s OK after deadly earthquake in Turkey; NJ Nets GM Billy King safe also.