USA/TUR - Williams receives royal send-off before steak dinner

ISTANBUL (EuroChallenge/BEKO Basketbol Ligi) - The love affair Besiktas fans had with Team USA's Deron Williams was brief, but very genuine.

That's the only conclusion one can draw from the scenes at the Istanbul club on Tuesday night, when the New Jersey Nets star went to the middle of the court before their game against ZZ Leiden alongside Besiktas' national team center Semih Erden (of Cleveland) and led the crowd in ear-popping cheers.

D-Will, 27, gave Besiktas and Turkish basketball three exciting months to remember, with the highlight his 50-point eruption eight days ago in a home game against Germany's BG Göttingen.

With NBA owners and players having finally come to an agreement to end the lockout, Williams and his family will now return to New Jersey where the gold-medal winning point guard at the 2008 Olympics will resume his career with the Nets.

Williams attended Tuesday night's game and watched Besiktas come from behind in the fourth quarter to beat ZZ Leiden and reach the Last 16 of the EuroChallenge.

Before tip-off, he watched proudly as his No. 8 jersey was raised to the rafters as a show of appreciation for his efforts.

He then took his teammates out to big dinner at the Musr-et steakhouse.

FIBA