WASHINGTON, D.C. –- Terrence Williams wants the basketball. The Nets want it in his hands and so do his teammates. It seems like the perfect marriage.

It wasn’t necessarily the case earlier this season.

Some people within the organization were questioning whether they made the wrong choice with the No. 11 pick. Williams was struggling with his playing time and acting immaturely.

But Williams has grown up and his development has been the biggest surprise as the Nets’ season draws to a close.

“It was time to grow up,” Williams said. “I’m in the NBA now; I’m not in high school, not in college. It was time to take responsibility for myself and my actions of why I was playing the way I was playing.

“I thank Kiki [Vandeweghe] for that, and especially giving me the opportunity to play and really sitting me down and giving me the discipline to want to learn. Because if I was just staying out there 30 minutes a game and shooting 3-for-19 or something, I wasn’t going to get better from that. So I appreciate him for sitting me down and me watching the vets and other greats and coming into my own.”

The Nets, who fell 109-99 to Washington tonight, may have avoided the record for worst season ever. But Williams’ emergence truly made it possible.

He's the Nets' best passer, probably will become their best defender -- if he isn’t already -- and one of their best rebounders. He’s averaged 14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists since March 1 and in the Nets’ last six he's contribued 15.3 points, 6.7 assists and 5.2 boards. He almost led the Nets back from 18 down on Sunday night, registering 13 points and two assists after halftime.

Williams was a good choice with the No. 11 pick and could prove to be one of the best players from his draft class if he continues to work and improve.

Look back at what Williams did in Saturday’s win over the Hornets. He showed his incredible athleticism with a few driving dunks and soaring to catch a Devin Harris lob and throwing it down.

But Williams came out looking to pass and he was sharp, displaying pinpoint accuracy. He was setting up teammates and they were playing with an extra bounce in their step because of it.

“I feel like more can get accomplished when the ball is in my hands,” Williams told me Saturday morning. “With the ball in my hands, I feel like a lot more gets done, more people get the ball, more people are happy with the ball in my hands.”

That was proven later that night as seven Nets scored in double figures, many of them the beneficiary of Williams’ passing. He had 14 assists. Guys were getting to spots quicker, cutting and being rewarded. There was more fist pumps, towel waves, leaping body bumps and high-fives than any other night this season

“That’s one of the reasons he intrigued us before the draft,” Vandeweghe said. “He got more pleasure out of getting people baskets than scoring himself. That’s obviously a recipe for a great teammate.”

The reason for optimism for the future have been well-documented –- a top four pick, $23 million in free agency, a new owner who will spend and  a new coach on the way. But you can’t discount what the Nets already have.

Brook Lopez being a cornerstone and the way Williams has been playing he has to be climbing the charts.

The Nets have a physically and mentally tough player who can play and guard multiple positions and fill up the box score. Now add either a John Wall or Evan Turner, a big-time free agent such as Amar’e Stoudemire and the Nets would be tough to beat, tough to guard and fun to watch.

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Sixty-six losses and counting for the Nets -- a new franchise high. Among the teams that swept them were the Wizards (4-0), Sixers (4-0), T-Wolves (2-0) and Warriors (2-0)

Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)