While his teammate, former UC All-American Kenyon Martin, enters the NBA expected to be an immediate impact player, New Jersey Nets forward Aaron Williams has a different perspective.

        “I took the back road in,” said the Xavier graduate, who had eight points and seven rebounds Friday night in the Nets' 91-83 exhibition victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at UC's Shoemaker Center.

        Williams was not selected in the 1993 draft. He played in Greece and Italy. He spent parts of three seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. Now he is with the Nets, his seventh NBA team, and has his first multiyear contract (six years).

        Williams, signed as a free agent by New Jersey, said “it's not fun” playing for a different team almost every year.

        “You try to be with a team, give your all to them and try to build something with them, and the next year you may be gone,” he said. “Now at least I have the security to know that I'll probably be around for a little while.”

        He previously played with Utah, Milwaukee, Denver, Vancouver, Seattle and Washington. Williams came off the bench for 81 games last season with the Wizards, averaging a career-high 7.6 rebounds and 5.0 rebounds.

        “I always thought I'd make it,” he said. “For whatever reason, I never even second-guessed it. I just kept playing and kept trying and waiting for the right opportunity.”

        HAWKINS CUT: Another former Xavier star, Michael Hawkins, did not last with the Cavaliers long enough to play Friday night. Cleveland released Hawkins on Thursday.

        The 6-foot guard, signed by Cleveland on Oct.16, appeared in only one exhibition game, collecting one point and one assist in two minutes against Golden State.

        Steve Kaufman, Hawkins' agent, said Friday that he had not been contacted by any NBA teams about Hawkins since his release. “It's not necessarily a good time to get picked up,” Kaufman said.

        Kaufman said Hawkins might play overseas.

        “We told him up front when we brought him in that we didn't have a roster spot available,” Cleveland general manager Jim Paxson said. “I wanted (head coach) Randy (Wittman) and our staff to get a chance to work with him so down the road, if you're looking for a third point guard, he might be the guy. This year, we're not in that position, but you never know.

        “The one thing that I've noticed is that he continues to get better.”

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