Just a few minutes after Thursday morning's workout at Arco Arena, Kings point guard Jason Williams had the ball in his hand and was walking back toward the court. Williams was not ready to dribble, but he was ready to pass. His passing skills -- with a youth football -- had been challenged by the likes of assistant coach Byron Scott and teammate Jon Barry.

The two told Williams they didn't think he could throw the football from the baseline of one court to the baseline of a second. The courts lie end to end on the Arco floor. Including the area between them, the distance is more than 70 yards.

Williams, who grew up throwing bombs to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss in Belle, W.Va., has as much confidence in his football throwing ability as his ballhandling skills.

"Let me get a couple of throws and I'm ready," Williams cackled. "These boys don't know."

Free-agent guard Keith Veney, who attended Marshall University with Williams, knew.

"We play catch almost every day," Veney said.

Veney ran down the court about 50 yards, and Williams dropped a pass right into his chest. Minutes later, when Veney sprinted in the other direction, Williams hurled a 60-yard strike.

"That's the way I used to throw it to the M-O-S-S Man," he crowed. "I don't like that short game. I like that long game."

Barry, who had only heard about the 70-yard passes, came out of the locker room with teammates Vlade Divac and Tyrone Corbin, trainer Pete Youngman and assistant trainer Chuck Tache and made another dare.

He wanted Williams to begin at halfcourt and throw a pass over the other court and into the upper-level seating -- about 50 yards away and 25 to 30 feet high.

Williams surprised virtually everyone in the arena with a toss that bounded into the boxes just beyond the upper-deck railing.

Scott re-entered the arena, saying Williams couldn't out-throw him.

Despite Scott's sweet throwing motion that rattled off some Twiggy-tight spirals, his arm showed the effects of age. He threw one pass close to 60 yards but stopped once he felt a twinge.

"The young boy surprised me," Scott said. "You can see he's such a great athlete. I'll bet he can throw a baseball, too."