Lou Williams had a special rooting interest in Monday’s NCAA men’s basketball championship game. The Hawks guard was more than pleased that Connecticut and coach Kevin Ollie defeated Kentucky for the national championship.
Williams and Ollie played two seasons together with the 76ers.
“KO is my guy,” Williams said Tuesday. “He was very, very instrumental in my career. He was the guy who kept me after practice to get extra shots. He was the guy who got me in the weight room. He was the guy who got me going to chapel before games. He always kept me on the straight and narrow. He was very instrumental. It was great to have him in my corner.
“My nephew (Jajuan Johnson) was going through the recruiting process. He ended up signing with Marquette, but I told him the only coach I could vouch for was Kevin Ollie. That speaks volumes about the person that he is.”
Johnson averaged 4.3 points in 21 games as a freshman guard at Marquette this season.
Connecticut won its fourth national championship with the 60-54 win.
“Very pleased,” Williams said of the result. “After the Sweet 16, I officially started rooting for UConn in the public. Just because I know the type of person that (Ollie) is and looking at the way he interacted with his players. I knew it was genuine, so I wanted to root for my guy.”
Injury report: Williams sat a second consecutive game with a sore left hamstring. The reserve also missed Sunday's win over the Pacers. Starting forward Paul Millsap was in the lineup after suffering a bruised right thumb Sunday. He wore a wrap on his thumb and said he continues to experience soreness.
Brand up for award: Elton Brand was named a finalist for the Twyman-Stokes teammate award. The award is given to the NBA player describe as the "ideal teammate."
There are 12 finalists, six from the East and six from the West, as nominated by a panel of NBA legends. Ballots to NBA players, who cannot vote for a teammate, went out Monday.
Chauncey Billups won the inaugural one last season.
Horford on broadcast: Al Horford will serve as a color commentator for the Hawks-Celtics game Wednesday on SportSouth. Horford, out for the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle, will call the second and third quarters with Bob Rathbun and Dominique Wilkins.
Horford was a telecommunications major at Florida. He served as an analyst for Telemundo’s coverage of the 2008 Olympics men’s basketball games.
Fans can also send questions to Horford via the Twitter account @SportSouth with the hashtag #AskAl15.
Jason Collier Trophy: The Hawks will present the Jason Collier Memorial Trophy on Wednesday. The trophy is named after the late Hawks center who died in 2005 and is presented to the individual who best exemplifies the characteristics Collier displayed off the court as a community ambassador.
Devin Harris was the eighth recipient last season.
Collier’s widow, Katie, will be joined in the on-court presentation by 100 parents and children with tickets paid for by the Jason Collier Memorial Foundation for four different organizations. Each child will wear a T-shirt with Collier’s No. 40 and will get a scholarship to attend the upcoming Atlanta Hawks Youth Basketball Clinic.
Nogueira top defender: Hawks draft pick Lucas Nogueira was named Best Defender in Spain's ACB League on Monday. Nogueira plays for Asefa Estudiantes Madrid.
“I am very happy with this award,” Nogueira said in a translated statement released by the team. “Did not expect, so it’s even more special. I have to share this achievement with my teammates, coaching staff and fans, who have always helped me, supported me and encouraged me. I was very pleased with my 2013 season, matured and grown a lot as a player.”
Nogueira suspended his contract with Estudiantes in December to come to the United States to have both knees treated for severe tendinitis, splitting time between Los Angeles and Atlanta. He has appeared in 10 games with Estudiantes and has averaged 6.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 17 minutes.
The 7-foot center was taken with the 16th overall selection in June’s NBA draft by the Celtics and traded to the Hawks. A native of Brazil, Nogueira returned for another season in the Spanish League to continue his development and add muscle to his 225-pound frame. He appeared in five summer league games for the Hawks and averaged 6.4 points and 6.0 rebounds.
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