People smoke in Turkey.
But not on TV.
That was one of the culture shocks Nets point guard Deron Williams encountered in Turkey, where he went to play during the NBA lockout. Williams is posting a blog to appear on his website, DeronWilliams.com and on ESPN.com.
Yesterday’s installment of “Live From Turkey” recapped some of the experiences and including cultural differences Williams encountered, including that smoking stuff.
“Everywhere you go, people are smoking,” Williams wrote, but he noted that curiously on TV shows “they blur smoking out.”
There were other little tidbits such as he likes the food, misses watching the Steelers and eating peanut-butter pretzels and that he didn’t pack enough stuff for himself and his family.
Playing for Besiktas of Istanbul which advanced in the Turkish Champions Cup, Williams is prepared to return to the states if the lockout ends — and stay put if it doesn’t.
Speaking about not bringing enough of his personal items, he said, “I could be over here for nine months if the NBA season gets locked out completely.”
He is doing his best to keep up with the labor saga.
“I’m following the lockout as best I can over here, but my resources are somewhat limited,” Williams wrote. “I think everybody, owners and players, know that it would be detrimental to the game for us not to have a season. Whether we miss a couple games or a month, two months, that’s up in the air, but I hope there’s a season.
“Hopefully the lockout gets resolved soon, and we can get back to it,” he added. “Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants an NBA season. I’m sure the Besiktas fans would rather me stay here, but I know everyone over in the U.S. wants a season and I feel the same way.”