Deron Williams says ankles feel good

Deron Williams is still capable of superb performances, but the point guard has fallen off since being widely considered one of the top-two point guards (with Chris Paul) in the game.

That drop-off, which has seen him miss out on the last two All-Star games after making three straight appearances, can be attributed largely to ankle injuries that have plagued his time with the Nets, but Williams told the New York Post he's finally healthy again.

Three months after undergoing surgery on both ankles, Deron Williams feels like a new man.

“(Before the surgery), I was just walking around and my ankles would swell up,” Williams said Monday at his charity dodgeball tournament in Manhattan, which benefited his Point of Hope Foundation. “Any time that happens, that’s bad.

“(Now) they feel good. I’ve been working out hard every day, getting ready to go.”

Williams also talked about how tough last year's preseason was given his ankle issues.

"I practiced one time, played nine minutes in a preseason game and was thrown into the fire at 60 or 70 percent. It’s definitely different this year, and I think it’s great. I’ll be able to participate in training camp. I’ll be practicing with the guys right now, and I’m able to play with the guys before training camp, which is great.”

Williams missed a career-high 18 games last season and posted his lowest scoring and assist averages in eight years, as the Nets won 44 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

A healthy D-Will may still be an All-Star-caliber player and the Nets point guard sounds optimistic, but the summer is always filled with injured or recovering players trumpeting their health ahead of training camps.

Full strength or not, though, Williams's best days may be behind him at 30 years old.