CHICAGO – Rookies are supposed to make mistakes. But they are also supposed to seek veterans for advice, keep their mouths shut, watch and learn.
Terrence Williams, who had his first NBA benching last night in the Nets’ 103-101 win over the Bulls, is struggling with much of the above, almost as badly as he has struggled with his shot. The rookie has made mistakes which everyone accepts as part of the growth process. But Williams hasn’t kept his frustrations private. He posted his concerns on Twitter and could be fined by the team.
“You don’t do that (Twitter) on club time,” said team president Rod Thorn who added there “could be” a fine on Williams for posts he made Monday that may be deemed detrimental to the team. “When you’re in the practice facility when you’re working, halftime, you’ve got to be gone. Most teams have the same rules.”
Hey, he’s 22 years old and struggling probably for the first time ever.
Williams vented some frustration Monday. On Twitter, he wondered what life would be like had he been drafted by Toronto or Charlotte and suggested that practice time has become his game time, presumably because he was yanked after playing 9:24 Sunday. He later expressed his love and devotion of all things Nets and New Jersey and said so again yesterday.
“You guys talk about that but my next Tweet says I love my situation, I love my teammates and you guys got to know that we’re all human and we hate losing,” Williams said. “It’s not a regret at all. It’s the best decision for me to come to New Jersey. I love it. I wouldn’t want to play at Charlotte or (Toronto). I’m happy I’m here.”
He proclaimed his Nets love on Twitter – after posting: “How would it be if Mr. Stern called my name 10 min earlier #9 or 5 min later #12 hmmmmmmmmm to bad I can’t live off what ifs.” And that came after he posted, “Up early to the gym before practice to practice before practice, because NOW practice is my games. Welp that’s life.”
See why someone might get the wrong idea?
“You don’t want to say anything that could be (construed) as being not in the best interest of the team,” Thorn said. “I think he was trying to be funny more so than anything but it creates a controversy that we certainly don’t need.”
One feeling is that support is all around Williams. Use it more.
“Guys tend to get their advice from the wrong people,” said vet Rafer Alston. “He’s not seeking advice from veterans. He’s getting advice from guys in their first and second year who don’t know. The problem now is when you’re twittering and talking, when you’re young, you don’t know what to say or the right things to say.”
Veteran Bobby Simmons, who praised Williams as a “great kid,” said the rookie “has come to me and he listens . . . It’s a tough transition.”
“To me, it’s rookie growing pains,” said coach Kiki Vandeweghe.
So Williams ran the steps at United Center yesterday morning with assistant Doug Overton. Vandeweghe insisted it was just “extra work” for the rookie whose defense has not been as advertised and whose shot selection has been poor.
“When I was a rookie, I didn’t understand lots of times when I got pulled,” Vandeweghe explained. “But you sort of figure, ‘Okay, I did this five times, I got pulled out every time I did this. Well, maybe I won’t do it.'”
Williams was shooting .340 overall, and .250 (11-of-44) in his previous six games. And it’s not the shooting that bothers anyone.
“Mistakes that occur with every single rookie are mainly on the defensive end – losing concentration,” Vandeweghe said.
Alston saw it.
“He pulled him right after he took a shot, and then went back the other end and didn’t understand Al Harrington’s strength and let Harrington walk right into the post,” Alston said.
fred.kerber@nypost.com