Mikey Williams rated himself a seven on a scale of one to 10 when asked to assess how much he has grasped TNT’s scheme of things, now that he has been with the flagship MVP ball club for about a week now.
The fourth pick of last March’s PBA Rookie Draft is finally with the Tropang Giga after some time of waiting. He was supposed to meet them at an earlier date, but the team was under health and safety protocols then.
“I’ll give myself about a seven, so far,” he told Tiebreaker Times, Thursday. “It could get better but I’ll just keep on progressing every day and just keep grinding as much as I can as we continue to be together in practice.
“We have to utilize this time to practice as much as we can to definitely get a better feel, and also later down the line, it’s gonna help us.”
Head coach Chot Reyes had previously expressed concern on how quickly could the 29-year-old acclimatize with TNT, since they were not able to meet right away after the draft due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.
Williams, though, proudly said that he’s been able to pick up things fast, big thanks to the assistance of his new teammates.
“I pride myself on following the guys that have been there, asking questions when I need help,” said the NBA G-League veteran.
“I picked up things pretty well, and I’m kinda happy that I picked it up so fast.”
It also helped that he already had an inkling of TNT’s system while he was at home in the States, as he watched materials sent to him.
“It definitely helped because I got to take a look at some of the stuff that we were doing through clips, you know, just to get a feel for it on video.
“And it kinda made things easier for me because, you know, seeing it visually and to finally get on the floor and actually be in the thick of things, it made things a lot easier for me to pick up,” said the California-born cager.
What he has learned thus far will be put to the test on Friday, as Williams is set to make his much-awaited debut against Rain or Shine. And he can’t wait to make the most out of the opportunity to play again.
“Oh, very excited! You know, it’s gonna be my first game in a year, with this pandemic and everything going on,” said the 6-foot-2 guard.
“I know they had a bubble season so they’re just adding me to the process, to the puzzle. And I’m looking forward to just getting out there and being able to do what I love to do.”
