Former NBA All-Star Deron Williams set to fight in boxing match

Deron Williams, a former 12-year NBA veteran and three-time NBA All-Star is set to fight in an undercard bout in mid-December. Williams will compete at the event headlined by Jake Paul and Tommy Fury on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Fla.

His opponent for the match has not been decided, but Shams Charania of The Athletic reports Williams could square off against another former professional athlete. Frank Gore, a 16-year NFL veteran and former Pro Bowler, could be a potential opponent for Williams in the fight.

During his playing days, Williams, 37, was listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He has trained for years in mixed martial arts and boxing and owns a stake in Fortis MMA, a Dallas-area MMA training facility regarded as one of the best in the sport.

Williams played for four teams in the NBA but had some of his best seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2005-11. He was a three-time All-Star and averaged 17.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game during his time in Salt Lake City. He also played for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets from 2011-15, averaging 16.6 ppg, 3.2 RPG, and 7.5 apg while making two All-Star appearances there as well.

From 2015-17, Williams played for the Dallas Mavericks but was bought out and waived by the team in February of 2017. He then latched on with the  Cavaliers during their run to The Finals, but he was a seldom-used player and Cleveland lost 4-0 to the Golden State Warriors in that series.

Williams was a member of the U.S. National Team in 2008 and 2012, winning a gold medal both times at the Olympics.