Ray Williams (basketball) facts for kids
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| No. 13, 25, 20, 1, 11 | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 14, 1954 Mount Vernon, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | March 22, 2013 (aged 58) New York City, New York |
| High school | Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1977 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1977–1987 |
| Career history | |
| 1977–1981 | New York Knicks |
| 1981–1982 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1982–1983 | Kansas City Kings |
| 1983–1984 | New York Knicks |
| 1985 | Boston Celtics |
| 1985 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986–1987 | New Jersey Nets |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 10,158 (15.5 ppg) |
| Assists | 3,779 (5.8 apg) |
| Steals | 1,198 (1.8 spg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Thomas Ray Williams (born October 14, 1954 – died March 22, 2013) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for ten seasons, from 1977 to 1987. Ray was born in Mount Vernon, New York. His older brother, Gus Williams, also played in the NBA.
Contents
Early Basketball Days
High School Success
Ray Williams went to Mount Vernon High School. He was a star player there and helped his school win two New York State basketball championships. This showed early on how talented he was at the sport.
College Play
After high school, Ray first played at San Jacinto Junior College. Then, from 1975 to 1977, he played for the University of Minnesota. During his time at Minnesota, he was a strong player, averaging about 19 points and nearly 7 rebounds per game.
NBA Career Highlights
Joining the New York Knicks
In 1977, Ray Williams was chosen by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1977 NBA draft. He was the 10th player picked overall. After his first year, he quickly became a key player for the Knicks. In his third season (1979–80), he averaged over 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He even became the team captain in his fourth season. During his time with the Knicks, he helped them reach the NBA Playoffs twice.
Playing for the New Jersey Nets
In 1981, Ray was traded to the New Jersey Nets. He continued to play well, averaging about 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists per game in the 1981–82 season. On April 17, 1982, Ray had an amazing game against the Detroit Pistons, scoring 52 points! This was the most points he ever scored in a single game. He helped the Nets get to the 1982 NBA Playoffs, where he averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Nets, Ray was traded to the Kansas City Kings in 1982. He played there for one season before being traded back to the New York Knicks. He reached the playoffs again with the Knicks.
In the middle of the 1984–85 season, Ray joined the Boston Celtics. This gave him the chance to play alongside famous players like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. With the Celtics, he made it to the playoffs one last time. They even reached the NBA Finals, but they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ray later played briefly for the Atlanta Hawks and the San Antonio Spurs before returning to the New Jersey Nets for his final seasons. He retired from basketball after the 1986–87 season. Throughout his NBA career, Ray Williams averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Life After Basketball
After retiring from the NBA, Ray Williams faced some difficult times. He worked hard at various jobs, including being a groundskeeper at a golf course, a maintenance worker, a part-time girls' basketball coach, and even a bakery worker. He also received some help from the NBA Retired Players Association.
In 2010, Ray's situation began to improve. He got a job working for the Recreation Department in his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York. The mayor of Mount Vernon, Clinton I. Young, Jr., helped bring Ray back home. Ray also received support from Linda Crawford, a nurse and a friend from his basketball days. Ray and Linda Crawford got married in August 2011.
Passing Away
Ray Williams passed away on March 22, 2013, in New York City after an illness. He was 58 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Ray Williams para niños
