Williams Finds Best Teammate In Parker

/> “Oh it's not a problem at all,” he said without hesitation. “I mean, obviously, I feel being with her, I want to help her to do the best that she can do and the best that she can accomplish. With her achieving all that stuff, that doesn't ever cross my mind. When she does well, we both do well. Like I said, it doesn't really cross my mind at all.”

In fact, Williams dedicates nearly as much time to Parker's success as he does to the pursuit of his own. When Parker dislocated her shoulder during the 2008 NCAA tournament, she turned to Williams during her rehabilitation. He helped monitor her exercises and constantly reminded her to to stretch. Thanks in part to Williams, her shoulder was strong enough to lift the championship trophy.

“I didn't really understand how important it is taking care of your body,” Parker said. “I think sometimes he's my better half and he makes me do those things."

And while Williams was transitioning from the Kings to the Timberwolves last season, he also was helping Parker transition into parenthood. The couple welcomed their first child in May 2008.

“He was the most supportive person ever,” Parker said. “I was working out a lot during my pregnancy, and after practice was over he'd stay at the gym with me. I'd be at home and he'd make me get off the couch and go work out because he knew how bad I wanted to come back after my pregnancy. He was great about if I wanted something. Vanilla wafers were my favorite thing during pregnancy, so he stocked up on vanilla wafers for me and he was just really great. He was with me from the start to the finish. He was very into it, he made all of the doctor's visits that he could. I'd reschedule them so he could be there, so he was very supportive.”

Williams is learning the ins and outs of fatherhood just as quickly as he would memorize a defensive scheme. He has embraced diaper duty, learned bath schedules, and made it a priority to catch as many of Parker's games as possible as the Sparks contend for a title. A recent Tweet — “going to be m.i.a. today spending time with my two fav girls and watching game 3 of sparks and storm then back 2 spending time wit my girls” — was a testament to his dedication.

“I'm very different than the stereotypical pro athlete,” he said. “I mean, I have a child and I want to be with my daughter 24/7, all the time. I want to be with my family all the time.”

This summer, Williams turned to his family as he entered one of the toughest free agent markets in recent years. Teams could not afford to be as generous with their payrolls as they had been in past offseasons. Williams fought for a job while Parker was fighting for a championship. Rather than feel threatened by his wife’s status, he was inspired by her winning experience as he fought to stay in the league.

Williams welcomed the support as Parker pushed him in the gym and encouraged him off the court. She made it a point to show her commitment in every way possible, even if it was watching him play in a pick-up game. Parker noticed a change in Williams — a positive one — and noted that her husband is showing more confidence now than he has in past years. Critics would be able to see past his rocky start, she said, if they saw his hard work.

"I don't think people really do know [what he can do]," Parker said. "A lot of things that Shelden does doesn't really show up on the stat sheet. I think that a lot of people maybe have a different impression from the last two years, but he can't worry about that. He has to focus on going forward, because I think that if people saw all the things that he's doing and saw the dedication and the way that he's playing and who he's playing against in LA, then I think they would change their opinion."

But there still will be those who doubt Williams. Could someone who had bounced around from the Kings to the Timberwolves contribute on a championship contender? Would he make an impact off the bench or would he become grouped with players like Patrick O’Bryant and Mikki Moore whose size outweighed their performance? Williams understands the skepticism and accepts the challenge.

“As far as me coming out of Duke and having the success I had and then having kind of like a troubled path, I'm trying to get to where I was at in my college days,” Williams said, adding, “I am going in and hoping to contribute the best I can. Going in, playing defense, rebounding the basketball, doing the little things the team needs me to do … I kind of look at it as being back at Duke. It's a storied program with history.”

Parker could not hide her excitement for Williams’ new opportunity. After capturing an NCAA championship, she understands the significance of playing on a team of that caliber. Not only is it an opportunity to win, it also is a chance to grow.

“How could you not be enthusiastic about playing for the Celtics?” she said. “I know that this is a team that is very special. They have veterans on that team that have won a championship over the last two years. Every day in practice, how can you not get better? I think that that's the way that he has to look at it, as a new starting point in his career, and I think that's the way that he's looking at it. He really worked hard this summer, and I think that how can you not be excited about this opportunity, learning from the best, playing with the best, and win along the way?”

Williams' signing may have raised eyebrows, but it makes perfect sense to Williams and Parker. Williams has been given a new lease on an unfulfilled career and the opportunity to shake the reputation he has developed over the years.

“I'm really proud of him,” Parker said. “He really, really worked really hard, and he's back to Shelden.”