At no point leading up to this summer’s crucial free agency period was Brooklyn coach Avery Johnson comfortable enough to believe that point guard Deron Williams was a lock to re-sign with the Nets.

Williams grew up in the Dallas suburb of The Colony and narrowed his free agent choices to the Dallas Mavericks and the Nets. Eventually, Williams signed a five-year, $98 million contract with the Nets after seriously considering returning home to play for the Mavericks.

Johnson, who spoke Tuesday at the Fort Worth Dunbar High School assembly, said he and Nets general manager Billy King were never overconfident about Williams’ desire to remain a part of the Nets.

As far as retaining the services of Williams, Johnson wanted everyone to know he didn’t steal the point guard away from the Mavericks.

“I didn’t take anybody,” Johnson said. “He was with us first. “We just re-signed our own guy.”

via Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram