"If rookie Terrence Williams knew then what he knows now, he'd be a better basketball player, a wiser basketball player.

And a wealthier basketball player.

Williams' admittedly "rocky" first season contained virtually every pitfall possible. There was the "Twitter" incident (he was fined) where he wondered -- or tweeted -- publicly what life would have been like if he were drafted elsewhere. There was the missed bus (he was fined). There were late arrivals (he was fined, fined, fined). There was the temptation by management to send him to the D-League (at least he wasn't fined for that).

But know what?

"Definitely, it has been worth it because I learned a lot in my first year," said Williams, who hopes to continue his recent roll (13.6 ppg, 6.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .525 shooting over the last eight games). "I just hope other people, other rookies who are not playing can see what happens, one, if you get a chance and two, if while you're sitting, you watch and learn the game."

Williams watched and learned when his minutes either rivaled his hat size or became non-existent. He watched how LeBron James "to go into a pick and roll, may back all the way up to half court." He watched how serious Kobe Bryant is every second. He watched how teammate Trenton Hassell adapts defensively."