By STEVE RIVERA
FOXSportsArizona.com
March 4, 2011
TUCSON -- With 14:06 left in the first half of Arizona's game with Oregon State, a couple of fans near center court started to chant "one more year, one more year" to Arizona sophomore Derrick Williams while he was at the free-throw line.
Williams then missed the free throw. The fans stopped. He then missed his second.
The fans might as well have continued the chant. It's likely it'll be heard again Saturday when UA faces Oregon at noon in McKale Center. It's UA's home finale and what could very well be Williams last game as a Wildcat on Lute & Bobbi Olson Court.
Arizona fans would loving nothing more than getting "one more year" in addition to a deep run in this year's NCAA tournament by this year's team.
Although Williams has said nothing about leaving for the NBA after the season, there has been plenty of speculation he'll go, as many have projected him to be a lottery pick in this summer's draft. If he were to go, he'd be the 10th Wildcat player to leave as an underclassman since Mike Bibby bolted for the NBA in 1998.
Williams is averaging 19 points and 8.3 rebounds a game for UA, which is now 24-6 overall.
What type of reception does Arizona coach Sean Miller think Williams will get?
"He's going to get as good a reception as we can give," Miller said. "Most importantly, the reception is going to be pointed toward our team."
Miller softened the questioned by talking about UA winning its 12th Pac-10 title. The Wildcats earned at least a share of it with Thursday's victory over Oregon State.
Senior Jamelle Horne, the team's senior, will also get an ovation of some sort.
"(Jamelle) is going to walk out of here feeling really good about that," Miller said. "The thing about Derrick is that we've never put the cart before the horse."
Translation: Williams never talks about the NBA or his plans. Williams, who was not made available in UA's postgame media gathering Thursday night, has said he'll deal with the NBA questions after the season.
"It's why he's such a great kid," Miller said. "That time (in talking about it) is not now. The time is for him to play the very best he can, to lead his team like he has and to make our season go as far as it can."
Miller said that when it's time, Williams and his family will "make a great decision with Derrick's best interest."
And right now, Miller said, it's Arizona's best interest not to talk about it and to just play out the season.
