More Praise from Hollinger

John Hollinger listed his 2008-2009 All-Breakout Team today. He breaks it down by how well known the players are and in the "You already knew, but..." category is Deron "MF'in GAMER" Williams:

Does anyone else find it a little weird that he hasn't made an All-Star team yet? Although he's had a bit of a setback thanks to Saturday night's ankle sprain, that oversight should be corrected this year -- especially if the Jazz are as good as I think they'll be. Williams has a good chance of passing Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups in the point guard hierarchy given his steady improvement; even last year, his numbers were much stronger after the break than before, including 12.0 assists per game in the second half. And while Carlos Boozer busies himself with the vagaries of the South Florida real estate market, Williams will spend a full year as Utah's unquestioned go-to guy.

Also on the list is Ronnie "Don't Call me Ron" Brewer. Hollinger puts him in the "Stealth All-Star Candidates" category with this description:

If I had to vote one guy as the league's most underrated player, it's him. A productive two-way player for one of the league's best teams, the third-year pro reportedly has shot the ball far better this preseason -- and that was his one weakness. Even if he doesn't improve a lick from outside, his knack for scoring around the basket and
improving defensive skills make him one of the best players at his position, and he's still getting better at only 23. With his playing time likely to increase along with his prominence on a key Western contender, he may not stay underrated for long.

I'm not sure how I feel about all this attention from Hollinger. In the past we have flown under the radar just long enough to sneak up on some teams. Ask any "expert" who the top 3 Western Conference contenders are and you'll be hard-pressed to hear anyone name the Jazz. But if we keep getting pub then it'll be harder to sneak up on anyone.

However, it may be stupid to think that we'll be sneaking up on ANYONE this year. With 15 playoff victories in the last 2 years, I doubt that any team is going to look past the Jazz.