After a career of show-stopping moves and an NBA Championship in 2005, J-Will has called it a career, which really comes as a shocker. The 33-year-old Williams, AKA White Chocolate, signed with the revamped L.A. Clippers for a back-up spot behind Baron Davis, after he and his agent tried to negotiate a return with the Sacramento Kings.
In his career Williams averaged 11.9 PPG, 6.3 APG and 1.3 SPG. He started in 649 of his 679 games played, over 95.5%. Williams was drafted #7 overall by the Kings in 1998. In his rookie year, he was an NBA sensation, bringing streetball to the league and averaged career highs of 3.1 RPG 1.9 SPG 36.1 MPG, along with 12.8 PPG. After playing a career high 81 games the year after, he was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies for Mike Bibby in 2001. The Grizzlies moved to Memphis that year. He was easily one of the best point guard in their short franchise history, behind Bibby of course.
In 2002-03 season, he averaged a career high 8.3 APG with the team. He made 2 playoff appearances with the team and average 17 PPG and 5.3 APG with Pau Gasol. The team was swept twice in 2004 and 2005.
In 2005 Williams and Grizzlies teammates James Posey and Andre Emmett were involved in the biggest trade in NBA history, which involved 13 players. The trade sent them to the Miami Heat along with Antoine Walker, forming their championship nucleus along with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. The Heat won 53 games, Williams averaged career highs of 44.2% from the field and 37.2% 3PT, and the team won their first NBA Championship against the Dallas Mavericks, coming back from an 0-2 deficit to win four straight games.
The next year, Williams shot his free throws at a career high and an amazing 91.3% and a 5.3-1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Unfortunately, they were swept by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, the first reigning champions ever to be swept that early. Things would only get worse as the team finished dead last in the NBA with a record.
After the team made it clear that they weren't re-signing him by signing Mario Chalmers. He signed with the Clippers in the off-season. After an exciting career, he's calling it quits. Jason Williams was one of the most exciting players ever. Most of his best plays came with the Kings alongside Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic, when they were the most entertaining team in the NBA.
He'll be remembered for all the spectacular plays that he gave the NBA, from the behind the back elbow pass to Raef LaFrentz he did in the 2000 Rookie Game, to the half court alley oop he pulled off with Shawn Marion. He's had plenty of other plays that were consistently in the top 10 plays of the day. Williams is a legend for the style of play he brought to the NBA and no one who watched him play his best will ever forget him.
No comments:
Post a Comment