Walt Williams

Walter Ander "The Wizard" Williams (born April 16, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" forward/guard, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and is credited by many for resurrecting the school's basketball program which was going through very difficult times.

For other people named Walt Williams or Walter Williams, see Walter Williams (disambiguation).
Walt Williams
Personal information
Born (1970-04-16) April 16, 1970
Washington, D.C.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight219 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High schoolCrossland (Temple Hills, Maryland)
CollegeMaryland (1988–1992)
NBA draft1992 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Playing career1992–2003
PositionSmall forward
Number42, 43
Career history
1992–1996Sacramento Kings
1996Miami Heat
1996–1998Toronto Raptors
1998–1999Portland Trail Blazers
1999–2002Houston Rockets
2002–2003Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points8,385 (11.8 ppg)
3-Pointers Made976
3P%.379
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
1991 Havana Team Competition

College career

Born in Washington, D.C., Williams began his Maryland career 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. 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.

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 the Kings, the Miami Heat, the Toronto Raptors, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Houston Rockets, and the Dallas Mavericks.[1] Williams stands third in Rockets history with a 3-point percentage of .393. Williams 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,[2] he wore them high in honor of boyhood idol George Gervin.

National team career

Williams played on the US team at the 1991 Pan American Games.[3]

Other activities

He established a $125,000 scholarship fund at Maryland which benefits minority students in honor of his late father, Walter Sr.[4]

Williams serves as a sideline reporter for radio broadcasts of University of Maryland men's basketball games.[5]

Film

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

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

Notes
  1. Mavs sign Williams to fill small forward void
  2. R.E. Graswich (2 November 1992). "Kings' Williams is long on socks, but short of breath in Arco debut". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. "Eleventh Pan American games -- 1991". USA Basketball. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  4. Jamison Hensley (11 February 1996). "Father's memory prompts endowment W. Williams' scholarship first by a Terps athlete". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  5. http://www.umterps.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=29700&ATCLID=209285526
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