Walt Williams

Last updated

Walt Williams
Personal information
Born (1970-04-16) April 16, 1970 (age 54)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight219 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school Crossland (Temple Hills, Maryland)
College Maryland (1988–1992)
NBA draft 1992: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Playing career1992–2003
Position Small forward
Number42, 43
Career history
1992–1996 Sacramento Kings
1996 Miami Heat
1996–1998 Toronto Raptors
1998–1999 Portland Trail Blazers
1999–2002 Houston Rockets
2002–2003 Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points 8,385 (11.8 ppg)
3-Pointers Made 976
3P% .379
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1991 Havana Team Competition

Walter Ander "The Wizard" Williams (born April 16, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" swingman, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and has been credited for helping to revive the school's basketball program.

Contents

Early life

Williams grew up in Temple Hills, Maryland and attended Crossland High School. [1]

College career

Williams began playing for the University of Maryland only two years after the death of star Len Bias and the ensuing scandal that cost Lefty Driesell his job as coach. When Williams arrived at Maryland, the Terrapins were also on the verge of receiving major sanctions from the NCAA due to violations committed by Driesell's successor, Bob Wade, that would lead to his resignation. Rather than transfer to another school, Williams chose to remain at Maryland and play under new coach Gary Williams. It was a tremendous boost for the coach, who had to start rebuilding the program from the bottom up while dealing with both the sanctions and tougher academic standards now imposed by the school. [2]

Williams was on the Associated Press All-America Second Team as a senior at Maryland in 1991–92, averaging a school-record 26.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.1 steals. He scored 20 or more points in 19 straight games and broke Len Bias's single-season point total record at Maryland by chalking up 776 points as a senior.[ citation needed ]

Professional career

Williams was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the seventh pick of the 1992 NBA draft and was on the 1992–93 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA, spending time with Kings, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks. [3] Williams stands third in Rockets history with a 3-point percentage of .393. He averaged double digits in scoring in six of eight NBA seasons and scored 8,385 points in his career.

Williams participated in the AT&T Shootout during the 1997 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Williams is known for wearing his socks to his knees, [4] a style which he adopted in honor of his boyhood idol George Gervin. This was also a popular fashion trend among the youth in the D.C. Metro area at that time.

In June 2018, Williams and fellow former Maryland basketball star Tony Massenburg, co-wrote the book Lessons From Lenny. The book is biographical and dives into how the death on Len Bias affected their lives and basketball decisions. Lessons From Lenny, features contributions from Gary Williams and Charles "Lefty" Driesell, Len Elmore, Johnny Rhodes, Keith Booth, Juan Dixon, Steve Blake and more. [5]

National team career

Williams played on the US team at the 1991 Pan American Games. [6]

Other activities

While in the NBA, Williams established a $125,000 scholarship fund at the University of Maryland which benefits minority students, in honor of his late father, Walter Sr. [7]

Williams serves as a sideline reporter for radio broadcasts of University of Maryland men's basketball games. [8]

Film

In 1996, he appeared in the film Eddie starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Walt Williams also appeared in the Hootie & the Blowfish music video for the number one song "Only Wanna Be with You".

Personal life

After retiring from the NBA, Williams moved to Brookeville, Maryland and had three sons there with his wife April. He became a coach for his sons' basketball team at Sherwood High School. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Len Bias</span> American basketball player (1963–1986)

Leonard Kevin Bias was an American college basketball player for the Maryland Terrapins. In the last of his four years playing for Maryland, he was named a consensus first-team All-American. Two days after being selected by the Boston Celtics with the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft, Bias died from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. In 2021, Bias was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lefty Driesell</span> American basketball coach (1931–2024)

Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell was an American college basketball coach. He was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four different NCAA Division I schools, Driesell led the programs of Davidson College, the University of Maryland, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. He earned a reputation as "the greatest program builder in the history of basketball." At the time of his retirement in 2003, he was the fourth-winningest NCAA Division I men's basketball college coach, with 21 seasons of 20 or more wins, and 21 conference or conference tournament titles. Driesell played college basketball at Duke University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Dixon</span> American basketball player and coach

Juan Max Dixon was an American former professional basketball player and the previous head coach for Coppin State University in Baltimore. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xfinity Center (College Park, Maryland)</span> Basketball arena at the University of Maryland

Xfinity Center is the indoor arena and student activities center that serves as the home of the University of Maryland Terrapins men's and women's basketball teams. Ground was broken in May 2000 and construction was completed in October 2002 at a cost of $125 million. It replaced Cole Field House as the Terrapins' home court, which had served as the home of Maryland basketball since 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Blake</span> American basketball player (born 1980)

Steven Hanson Blake is an American professional basketball coach and former player. After winning the 2002 NCAA Championship with Maryland, Blake was selected by the Washington Wizards with the 38th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. Over his 13-year NBA career, Blake had stints with the Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and three stints with the Portland Trail Blazers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Williams</span> American basketball coach

Gary Bruce Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, the Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to win the NCAA tournament championship. Williams retired after the 2010–11 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Wade (basketball)</span> American football player and basketball coach (born 1944)

Robert Pernell Wade is an American former professional football player and college basketball coach. He was the men's college basketball head coach for the University of Maryland (1986–1989), as well as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Massenburg</span> American basketball player

Tony Arnel Massenburg is an American former professional basketball player. Massenburg was on the active roster of 12 different teams, which was an NBA record shared with Joe Smith, Jim Jackson, Chucky Brown, and Ish Smith; until Ish played with the Denver Nuggets, his 13th team, in the 2022–23 season. In 2005, while on the San Antonio Spurs, Massenburg became the first player in NBA history to win a championship after playing for at least 12 different franchises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Booth</span> American basketball player and coach

Keith Eugene Booth is an American basketball coach and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player. Booth played college basketball at the University of Maryland from 1993 to 1997. He was an assistant coach at his alma mater under Gary Williams from 2004 to 2011. He was also an assistant coach for G. G. Smith with the Loyola University Maryland men's basketball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. Maryland was a founding member of the Southern Conference in 1921, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1952, and a member of the Big Ten Conference since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), left the ACC in 2014 to join the Big Ten Conference. Gary Williams, who coached the Terrapins from 1989 to 2011, led the program to its greatest success, including two consecutive Final Fours in 2001 and 2002, which culminated in the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Maryland has appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments and won their conference tournament 4 times. The Terrapins have competed in 100 seasons, accumulating an overall record of 1,641–1,086 as of the 2022–23 season. Maryland is currently coached by Kevin Willard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greivis Vásquez</span> Venezuelan basketball player and coach

Greivis Josué Vásquez Rodríguez is a Venezuelan former professional basketball player, who spent six seasons in the NBA. He is currently a coach, most recently working as the associate head coach for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League. Vásquez also represented the Venezuela national team in international competitions, as he was born in Caracas and moved to the United States to attend high school at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Maryland in 2004.

Charles William Driesell is an American basketball coach who is the boys' varsity basketball head coach at the Maret School in Washington, D.C. Formerly a college basketball coach, Driesell served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams at the University of Maryland, spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University, and was head coach at The Citadel from 2010 to 2015. He is the son of former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell, and played for his father's team in college. Driesell was named the new boys' basketball coach at the Maret School in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2015.

Steven Lamarr Hood is an American former professional basketball player born in Lynchburg, Virginia. In high school Hood starred for DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, from 1983 to 1986 and was selected as a 1986 McDonald's All-American. He then received an athletic scholarship to play for the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team. After two seasons, Hood transferred to James Madison University (JMU) to play for coach Lefty Driesell, who recruited Hood from high school. Driesell was the coach at Maryland when he recruited Hood but left the summer before Hood went to play at UMD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Len</span> Ukrainian basketball player (born 1993)

OleksiiYuriyovychLen, commonly known as Alex Len, is a Ukrainian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before being drafted, he played two seasons for the Maryland Terrapins as well as a season with Dnipro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Davis (basketball, born 1956)</span> American basketball player

Michael Anthony Davis is an American former professional basketball player. Playing as a center, his career mostly took place in Italy and Spain, though he had a short stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melo Trimble</span> American basketball player

Romelo Delante Trimble is an American professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League. He played at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia, where he was a McDonald's All-American. He played college basketball at the University of Maryland. He is considered to be one of Maryland's greatest point guards in recent history.

The 1984–85 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represented the University of Maryland in the 1984–1985 college basketball season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team was led by head coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell and played their home games at the Cole Field House. They finished 8–6 in the ACC regular season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Gatlin</span> American basketball coach and player

Keith Larnell Gatlin is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is an assistant coach for the High Point Panthers. He was one of the best players of the high school class of 1983, and committed to play college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins. After three seasons, Gatlin sat out one year during the 1986–87 season for academic reasons; he came back for his senior year in 1987–88. His 649 assists rank 3rd all-time for Maryland. After graduating from college, he went on to play professional basketball for 13 years, mainly in Europe: he led the German Bundesliga in scoring in the 1997–98 season and was named an All-Star in Greece, Germany, and France. After a 9-year experience as head coach of Wesleyan Christian Academy he was named assistant coach at High Point University.

References

  1. 1 2 Goldwein, Eric (January 25, 2016). "Former Maryland star Walt Williams keeps basketball in the family as a high school assistant coach". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  2. ↑ The Wizard | A Walt Williams Documentary (YouTube video). Maryland Athletics. March 7, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  3. ↑ Mavs sign Williams to fill small forward void
  4. ↑ R.E. Graswich (November 2, 1992). "Kings' Williams is long on socks, but short of breath in Arco debut". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Lessons From Lenny". www.whyderangeproductions.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Eleventh Pan American games -- 1991". USA Basketball . June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  7. ↑ Jamison Hensley (February 11, 1996). "Father's memory prompts endowment W. Williams' scholarship first by a Terps athlete". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Walt Williams Bio - Maryland Terrapins Athletics - University of Maryland Terps Official Athletic Site". www.umterps.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.