Freeman Williams
Miami Tropics | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|---|---|
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 4,738 (14.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 510 (1.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 516 (1.6 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Freeman Williams Jr. (May 15, 1956 – April 19, 2022) was an American professional
College career
Williams attended Portland State University, where he became the school's all-time scoring leader.[1] He was the NCAA Division I scoring leader in 1977 and 1978, and a consensus second-team All-American in 1978. He is third in Division I history in career scoring, trailing only Pete Maravich and Antoine Davis.
Professional career
Williams was a 1978 first round draft pick (8th overall) by the Boston Celtics.[2] His pro playing career started in 1978 with the San Diego Clippers. On January 19, 1980, Williams scored 51 points in a game against the Phoenix Suns.[3] In December 1980, Freeman became the first Clippers player to win a Player of the Month award, and the only one in franchise history until Elton Brand did so 25 years later.[4] He finished in the top 10 in three-point field goals for three consecutive seasons from 1980 through 1982.[5] In the middle of the 1981-82 season, the Clippers traded Williams to the Atlanta Hawks for Al Wood and Charlie Criss.[6]
In September 1982, Williams was traded along with
In 1987, Williams played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for the Tanduay Rhum Masters, where he famously scored 82 points, including 10 three-pointers, in one game.
Personal life
Freeman had a small part in the 1992 film White Men Can't Jump, playing fictional playground legend Duck Johnson.[8]
During and after his playing career, Williams struggled with substance abuse issues. After his professional basketball career ended, he became close friends with John Lucas II, who also struggled with substance abuse, and Lucas became a mentor of sorts to Williams.[9]
Williams died on April 19, 2022. He was 65.[10]
Career statistics
| Season | Team | GP | MPG | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | Clippers | 72 | 16.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 10.4 |
| 1979–80 | Clippers | 82 | 25.8 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 18.6 |
| 1980–81 | Clippers | 82 | 24.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 19.3 |
| 1981–82 | Clippers/Hawks | 60 | 16.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 12.0 |
| 1982–83 | Jazz | 18 | 11.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 5.1 |
| 1985–86 | Bullets | 9 | 12.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 7.7 |
| Career | 6 Seasons | 323 | 20.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 14.7 |
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 60 or more points in a game
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season scoring leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders
References
- ^ Kasinitz, Aaron (July 14, 2014). "Portland State basketball legend Freeman Williams returns for documentary screening". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
- ^ 1978 NBA Draft on Basketballreference.com Archived 2010-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Placing Portland State basketball legend Freeman Williams’ career in proper perspective: ‘He was an icon’
- ^ CLIPPERS: Brand Named Western Conference Player of the Month
- ^ Freeman Williams Statistics - Basketball-Reference.com
- ^ "Williams dealt to Hawks: Clippers trade leading scorer". The Desert Sun. January 21, 1982. Retrieved April 21, 2022 – via The University of California Riverside Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research.
- ^ NBA.com: Dominique Wilkins Bio
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (March 23, 2008). "Text messages from press row . . ". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Placing Portland State basketball legend Freeman Williams’ career in proper perspective: ‘He was an icon’
- ^ "Former Jazz Star Freeman Williams Passed Away At The Age Of 65". NBA.com. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com