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RIP Ray Williams

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Moderator1, Mar 22, 2013.

  1. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Good player for a long time. Way too young


    NEW YORK (AP) — Ray Williams, the former New York Knicks guard who averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 assists in 10 seasons in the NBA, died Friday. He was 58.

    The Knicks confirmed the former guard's death, but didn't provide a cause. Coach Mike Woodson said he spoke to Williams' wife and brother to offer his condolences.

    Born in Mount Vernon on Oct. 14, 1954, Williams was drafted 10th overall by the Knicks in 1977. He averaged 16.4 points in five seasons in New York and went on to play for New Jersey, Kansas City, Boston, Atlanta and San Antonio.

    Williams, averaged 18.9 points in two seasons at the University of Minnesota, where he teamed with Kevin McHale, Mychal Thompson and longtime NBA coach Flip Saunders.
     
    Moderator1, Mar 22, 2013
    #1
  2. exmediahack

    exmediahack Well-Known Member

    Yikes.

    I believe he was the player the Kings got in return when they decided Phil Ford had too many injuries and too many demons.

    I want to say I read a story about Williams being broke.
     
    exmediahack, Mar 22, 2013
    #2
  3. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Saw him play in HS . He was on one of the best HS teams I've ever watched. Mount Vernon HS team included his brother Gus, Earl Tatum , Rudy Hackett.I believe that the only game the lost was to Dematha with Adrian Dantley
     
    Boom_70, Mar 22, 2013
    #3
  4. Dyno

    Dyno Well-Known Member

    Peter Vecsey tweeted a couple of weeks ago that Williams was in "dire shape with colon cancer." RIP.
     
    Dyno, Mar 22, 2013
    #4
  5. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    Damn. Remember him at Minnesota and in the NBA. RIP.
     
    Colton, Mar 23, 2013
    #5
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I read something on ESPN's site the other day about Denzel Washington. ... who is from Mount Vernon and played JV basketball at Fordham (A young PJ Carlisimo was the coach) as a walk on. Up top, the story said he grew up playing playground basketball with Gus and Ray Williams.

    Was he on that team, by any chance, buried on the bench? He is the same exact age Ray Williams was. ...
     
    The Big Ragu, Mar 23, 2013
    #6
  7. Machine Head

    Machine Head Well-Known Member

    I remember his Minnesota days. That was a great team. RIP.

    Saunders described Williams as "pound for pound the best player to play" for the Gophers during his time. That's high praise, considering it was the golden era of "Big Man U" with Mychal Thompson and Kevin McHale.

    "At 6-3, he could play any position," Saunders said. "He led us in assists. He could carry the game scoring-wise. He could create his own shot. He was our second- or third-best rebounder. He had such great competitiveness."

    After playing in the NBA, Williams fell on hard times financially. He filed for bankruptcy and lost his wife and children. He became homeless.

    A few years ago, Dutcher said, the former Gophers coach helped some of Williams' friends get Williams a job in Mount Vernon for the city's recreation department. Williams had to quit working after he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery, according to Dutcher.

    "He and his wife went back down to Florida," Dutcher said, "but that's when the cancer just spread."

    http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22851299/ex-gophers-basketball-guard-ray-williams-58-dies
     
    Machine Head, Mar 23, 2013
    #7
  8. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Good question that I don't know the answer to. They were just a dominant team, specially when they played locally against slow white teams of Westchester. Mt Vernon had some run of players in the early to mid 70's with The Williams Brothers, Tatum , Hackett, The McCray Brothers .
    Ken Singleton also went to Mount Vernon during that era.
     
    Boom_70, Mar 23, 2013
    #8
  9. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    Those early 1980s Knicks teams was when I really started getting into hoops. Loved Ray Williams and Michael Ray.
     
    Webster, Mar 23, 2013
    #9
  10. Pancamo

    Pancamo Active Member

    Micheal, not Michael.
     
    Pancamo, Mar 24, 2013
    #10
  11. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    Didn't he change his name during his NBA career, or am I totally making that up?
     
    Webster, Mar 24, 2013
    #11
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