Larry Williams: The Best Basketball Player You’ve Never Heard Of

Larry Williams was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. He was an All-American at UCLA and played in the NBA for 11 seasons. He was also a two-time All-Star and won a gold medal with the USA Olympic team in 1984.

Early Life

Larry Darnell Williams was born on May 27, 1951, in Los Angeles California. The second youngest of 12 children, he was raised in the Jordan Downs Housing Projects in Watts. Like many of his neighbors, Williams turned to drugs and gang activity to escape the poverty and violence of his surroundings. He dropped out of High School in the 10th grade and spent time in jail for petty crimes.

High School Career

Larry Williams was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1944. He grew up poor, in a broken home, and was often in trouble with the law. Despite all this, he had a natural talent for basketball and was determined to make something of himself.

He started his high school career at a small private school, where he quickly proved himself to be one of the best players in the area. From there, he transferred to a bigger public school where he continued to dominate. He led his team to the State Championships his senior year, averaging an incredible 30 points per game

Williams was so good that he was offered a full ride scholarship to play basketball at the University of Missouri He turned it down, however, choosing instead to enlist in the Army.

College Career

In his two years at the University of New Orleans, Larry Williams averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game leading the team to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. He was named first team All-American and won the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Award twice. Williams is one of only five players in UNO history to have his jersey number retired.

Professional Career

Before starring at the University of Washington Larry Williams spent a post-graduate year at Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina As a freshman at Washington in 1986, Williams was named the Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.9 points per game He followed that up by being named first team All-Pac-10 as a sophomore after averaging 19.2 points and 5.1 assists per game In his junior season, Williams was again named first team All-Pac-10 and led the Huskies to a 26-6 record (15-3 in conference play). That season he averaged 17.1 points and 6.2 assists per game

Entering his senior season, Williams was considered one of the best point guards in the country. He did not disappoint, leading Washington to a 28-4 record (16-2 in conference play) and being named first team All-Pac-10 for a third consecutive season. Williams averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 assists per game that season, but perhaps his most impressive feat was leading the Huskies to victory in 24 of their 28 games – a school record that still stands today.

NBA Career

After going undrafted in the 1957 NBA draft Williams joined the Baltimore Bullets. He played two seasons with the Bullets, averaging 9.7 points per game in his rookie year and 10.6 points per game in his second and final season with the team. Williams was then traded to the Detroit Pistons for Don ohl.

Williams played three seasons for the Pistons, averaging 12.7 Points per game in his first season with the team and 14.1 points per game in his second season. His scoring average dipped to 11.8 points per game in his third and final season with Detroit before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Dick Barnett.

Williams had his best statistical season as a member of the Lakers in 1961-62, averaging 19.5 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game and 5.7 assists per game. He was also named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career that season. Williams’ scoring average dipped to 17.6 points per game in his second and final season with the Lakers before he was traded to the New York Knicks for Elgin Baylor midway through the 1963-64 season.

Williams averaged 9.7 points per game in limited playing time during his half-season with the Knicks before being traded back to the Pistons for Darrall Imhoff midway through the 1964-65 season

International Career

Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York, and played collegiate basketball at Iowa State University He was drafted by the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 1969 NBA Draft but opted to play professionally in Europe. Williams spent several years playing in Italy and Spain before returning to the United States and signing with the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1974. He played one season with the Nets, averaging 5.5 points per game, before signing with the Spirits of St. Louis of the ABA.

Williams enjoyed his best years as a professional player with the Spirits, where he was a two-time All-Star and helped lead the team to an ABA Championship in 1976. After the Spirits disbanded when the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, Williams continued his career in Europe before retiring from Professional Basketball in 1979.

Legacy

Larry Williams was one of the most talented basketball players of his generation. Though he was never able to achieve the same level of success as some of his more famous counterparts, his influence can still be felt today.

Williams was born in 1949 in Los Angeles CA. He was raised in a poor, single-parent household and never had much in the way of material possessions. Basketball was always his escape from the harsh realities of life. He practiced tirelessly, honing his skills to perfection.

During his high school years, Williams was one of the Top Players in the nation. He received numerous scholarship offers from major colleges, but he chose to attend USC on the advice of his mother. Williams had a successful collegiate career and was drafted by the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics in 1971.

Williams’s professional career was plagued by injuries and personal problems. He spent time with several different teams but was never able to stick with one for very long. His career came to an abrupt end in 1981 when he was arrested and convicted on drug charges. He served two Years in Prison before being released on parole.

Since retiring from basketball, Williams has worked as a player development coach and scout. He has also written a bestselling autobiography entitled “No Excuses.” In it, he details his struggles with addiction and discusses how they led to the downfall of his once-promising basketball career

Though Larry Williams is not a household name, those who know him consider him to be one of the best basketball players of his generation. His skill, determination, and resilience are an inspiration to all who have faced adversity in their lives.

Awards and Accolades

Larry Williams was one of the best basketball players of his generation. He was a six-time All-Star, a five-time All-NBA selection, and a two-Ime Nba Champion. He was also the league’s MVP in 1975.

Williams was a gifted scorer and an excellent rebounder. He was known for his Court Vision and his ability to make clutch shots. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Personal Life

Larry Williams was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on November 21, 1935. The son of a sharecropper, he was one of 12 children. When he was three years old, his family moved to Michigan. Williams began playing basketball in junior high school and soon developed into a star player

After graduating from high school in 1953, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served for two years and then returned to Michigan, where he attended Kalamazoo College on an athletic scholarship Williams played basketball and baseball at Kalamazoo, and he was twice named the school’s Athlete of the Year. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1957.

Following college, Williams played professional basketball for two years with the GRand Rapids Tackers of the Midwest Basketball League He then returned to Lancaster, Ohio, where he worked as a physical education teacher and basketball coach at Lancaster high school

Death

Larry Williams was one of the best Basketball Players you’ve never heard of. A 6’5″ guard from Philadelphia, Williams was a star at Temple University in the early 1970s. He was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in 1974, and played four seasons in the NBA before his career fizzled out.

Williams’s life took a tragic turn in 1979, when he was found dead in his car, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was just 27 years old.

Williams’s death came as a shock to those who knew him. He was a talented athlete with a bright future ahead of him. His friends and family could not understand why he would take his own life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please seek help from a professional or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.