Sixers' Lou Williams: A team of one

Lou Williams walked onto the 76ers' practice floor wearing a black T-shirt with the words "Well Alright!" ironed onto the front.

When asked about the attire - Williams is almost always in Sixers gear - he said: "It's all I got; no gear in the locker."

On Thursday, the doors to the Sixers' practice facility were opened to players for the first time since the NBA lockout began July 1.

One guy showed up: Williams.

Williams spent most of the offseason in Philly, where his family now lives, so, as he explained, "It was easy for me to just step up and come in."

Williams arrived early in the morning to work out and then left to get his physical. He returned in the afternoon to do additional work with the Sixers conditioning staff and speak to reporters.

Williams said he expected more teammates to arrive Monday.

"We've been talking for the past 48 hours," Williams said. "I've probably spoken to 80 percent of the guys. Just kind of to get a pulse on when we're going to get started, when everybody is going to be in town. Just excited to be back in a structured situation where I can play basketball."

Although Williams is able to use the team's facility and work out with the team's strength and conditioning coach, he is still unable to communicate more than a "hello" to the coaching staff.

The NBA has not yet lifted its moratorium on coach-to-player communication.

Williams said of the lockout, "I just waited it out and continued to do work."

"If you guys could have been flies on the wall with some of the conversations we were having with each other," Williams, who averaged 13.7 points per game last season, said of him and his teammates. "Just guys ready to get back to work, ready to be back together, just to see where we were with the growth and the time we've had together. It was an amazing thing. Everybody's confidence is at an all-time high. . . . I think we'll be one of those teams that take advantage of the situation."

On Thad. Williams said he spoke to Sixers restricted free agent Thaddeus Young "briefly" on Wednesday night. Beginning on Dec. 9, which is also the first day of training camp, teams will be allowed to sign Young to an offer sheet. The Sixers will have three days to match any team's offer.

"He asked me when I went through this process, was I nervous," Williams relayed. "And I said, 'Yes,' and that was the end of the conversation. I hope everything works out for Thad. And obviously we'd love to have him back here."

Lockout update. The players' "trade association" received enough recertification authorization cards - 260 were needed - that it has officially become the National Basketball Players Association again. Now that the union is back up and running, it can hash out the final details of its agreement with the NBA.

The union is expected to hold a vote to ratify the next collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday. A majority vote is needed and expected.