It was just one game, but Michael-Carter Williams’ dazzling debut sold Magic Johnson.
The legendary point guard was one of many awed by the former Syracuse star, who had one of the best debuts a rookie can have, scoring 22 points and adding 12 assists, nine steals and seven rebounds as the Sixers stunned the two-time defending champion Heat, 114-110.
The gifted 6-foot-7 Boston product’s big night was only trumped by his hometown Red Sox winning the World Series.
The 11th overall pick in the draft, Carter-Williams was handed the keys to the team when general manager Sam Hinkie traded budding star Jrue Holiday, a 23-year-old All-Star point guard, to the Hornets for the draft rights to Nerlens Noel and the Pelicans’ 2014 first-round pick.
In his NBA debut, Carter-Williams hit four 3-pointers and committed one turnover – previous weaknesses at Syracuse.
The performance was flat-out rare, for any player. Only three players (Micheal Ray Richardson, 1985; Clyde Drexler, 1986; Alvin Robertson, 1986) have posted a stat line of 20-10-9-7 since 1985, according to ESPN Stats & Information. No one in the past 30 years has gone 22-12-9-7, as Carter-Williams did on Thursday.
He set a record for most steals in a NBA debut and he tied the record for most steals by a Sixer in a single game. The 22 points were the most scored by a Sixer in a debut since Allen Iverson, who was in attendance after announcing his retirement, poured in 30 against Milwaukee in 1996.
“He was all over the place, very active,” Heat center Chris Bosh told reporters afterwards. “His wingspan is pretty good. He has a knack for getting his hand on the ball.”
Before we induct him into the Hall of Fame, Carter-Williams still has plenty to prove, as Bill Parcells used to say. He was brilliant at times for Syracuse last season and iffy on other occasions. Carter-Williams struggled during the NBA summer league and the preseason. The Heat, who were playing without Dwyane Wade, may have taken Philadelphia for granted, falling in an early 22-1 hole before taking the lead in the second half.
The isolation style of the NBA would seem to work in Carter-Williams’ favor. His perimeter jump shot was a weakness at Syracuse, where teams often played off him in a zone defense.
If Carter-Williams performs like this, the 76ers may not be able to tank their season into a top-five draft pick as everyone expects.