Remember Ray Williams

tiger0330

Legend
I thought I would post this because I just found out about it even though its an old story. Remember Ray Williams, our starting PG from the late 70's is homeless. No drug, gambling or bad investment problems, just could not keep a job since retiring from the game. He didn't play in the era of mega-bucks money and only made 2M his whole career.

Touched a nerve because I grew up in Westchester and him and his brother Gus were legends at Mount Vernon. I wonder how his brother Gus is doing, he could play the game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...ay-Williams-10-year-NBA-vet-no?urn=nba-253262
 

petescud

Starter
I idolized Ray and Gus, and i too grew up in Westchester (Yonkers)...I even played HS Ball (Yonkers and Gorton) though i was a few years younger then these guys. I do remember playing ball with them as well as Charlie Chris, who i also idolized. Yeah, I heard about Ray a while ago. Sad how things work out for some of us
 

Kiyaman

Legend
When I read this story last year I was sad and heart broken for a real
New York winner.
Damn! When Gus Williams & Dennis Johnson won the Championship in
Seattle, the next season Ray Williams & Sugar Ray Richardson with Toby
Knight & Bill Cartwright took the Knicks to a 49 win season (Rookie Magic
Johnson took the Lakers to the championship that season).

Ray & Gus used to be the big talk every summer playing with us top college
players at Xaivier H.S. summerball tournament. Both brothers could turn up
the tempo anytime they wanted in a game (they had that creative energy).
The Knicks made me sick when they traded both Ray & Sugar, but the two
players did party to much in the 5 boros.
I was happy when the Knicks added Ray Williams back on the team when
Bernard King 50 points took us to a 7 game series vs the Championship
Boston Celtics.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I was curious to see what Gus Williams was doing and found his website where he seems to be involved in running his own company. He still lives in Mt. Vernon and is involved with the community, wonder if he has reached out to his brother? It seems a shame to have Gus doing relatively well and Ray scraping the bottom.
 

moneyg

Starter
u think the league can give this guy a job for 35K a year to be part of the rookie introduction camp, to warn the rookies of how important it is to invest and aquire other skills to make a living.
 

petescud

Starter
Crap, $20K.....Still better then what he's doing now, and probably worth millions as far as his head. The guy must be so depressd


u think the league can give this guy a job for 35K a year to be part of the rookie introduction camp, to warn the rookies of how important it is to invest and aquire other skills to make a living.
 

stwoods

Rookie
Ray Williams power moves

Man, I loved Ray Williams back in the day! Growing up in the Harlem playgrounds I tried to pattern my game after his. He was 6'2" but could dunk over people , he could postup and had a funny line drive jumper. He and B. King and Micheal Ray were bright spots for the Knicks after the days of Clyde, Earl and Willis. When he and Micheal Ray teams it was a exciting backcourt! I always wished they had stayed together. Even Magic admired Micheal Ray's game. Ray Willaims is a good guy! I am praying for him and hope the job comes thru in Mt. Vernon!
 

tiger0330

Legend
Man, I loved Ray Williams back in the day! Growing up in the Harlem playgrounds I tried to pattern my game after his. He was 6'2" but could dunk over people , he could postup and had a funny line drive jumper. He and B. King and Micheal Ray were bright spots for the Knicks after the days of Clyde, Earl and Willis. When he and Micheal Ray teams it was a exciting backcourt! I always wished they had stayed together. Even Magic admired Micheal Ray's game. Ray Willaims is a good guy! I am praying for him and hope the job comes thru in Mt. Vernon!
Interesting that you found this thread since it was 2 months ago that someone last posted on it so it must have been on like page 3.

Finding out more about Ray than I ever knew about him when he was playing, he grew up on 5th Ave in Mt. Vernon raised by a single mom and had 4 brothers and a sister.

Never studied much when he was in school, all he wanted to do was play basketball. When him and Gus made it to the NBA they bought their mom a new house in Mt. Vernon and they helped their brothers and sister through school, so a lot of their NBA money was used to support the family.

His mom and sister have passed now and I guess the only member of the family that might have the financial wherewith all to help Ray would be Gus but even though Gus made a lot more money than Ray, I remember he was one of the first NBA players to hold out and not play because he was unhappy with his contract, Gus has been out of the game for a long time and has probably had to stretch that NBA money he has made into retirement.

It might be a pride thing on Ray's part also, who knows. Just a shame to me that coming from a large family, that nobody could reach out to him and help him keep his dignity and not let him be homeless. I too wish Ray the best and hope he gets his life together.
 
Top