Deron Michael Williams ( ) (born June 26, 1984 in Parkersburg, West Virginia) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Utah Jazz of the NBA. Prior to that, he played for the University of Illinois men's basketball team. Point guards Williams and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets have shared a friendly rivalry that began in the 2005 NBA Draft, where they were the third and fourth selections overall. Whether Williams or Paul is the superior point guard is the subject of frequent debate among sports writers and fans.