Williams on ESPN
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Personal information | |
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Born |
Plainfield, New Jersey |
September 10, 1981
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | St. Joseph (Metuchen, New Jersey) |
College | Duke (1999–2002) |
NBA draft | 2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall |
Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
Playing career | 2002–2006 |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 22 |
Career history | |
2002–2003 | Chicago Bulls |
2006 | Austin Toros |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Jason David "Jay" Williams (born September 10, 1981) is an American former basketball player. He played college basketball for the Duke University Blue Devils and professionally for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. He last signed with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, but was waived by the Toros on December 30, 2006 due to lingering physical effects from a 2003 motorcycle accident. Although he had been known as Jason, he asked to be called Jay on joining the Bulls in 2002, to avoid confusion with two other players in the NBA at the time, Jason Williams and Jayson Williams.
The 6-foot-2-inch (1.88 m), 195-pound (88 kg) point guard grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and attended St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, graduating in 1999. He not only excelled at basketball, but took an active interest in other activities, most notably chess. His nickname in high school was "Jay Dubs." Williams also played junior varsity soccer during his freshman year and varsity volleyball during his senior year. In basketball that year, Williams was named a First Team All-State Player in New Jersey, the New Jersey Player of the Year, a Parade All-American, a USA Today first team All-American, and a McDonald's All-American, where he competed in the Slam Dunk Contest and the McDonald's All-American Game, scoring 20 points in the contest. He was also named the recipient of the 1999 Morgan Wootten Award for his basketball achievements and his work in the classroom, where he maintained a 3.6 GPA.
At Duke, Williams became one of the few freshmen in school history to average double figures in scoring and was named ACC Rookie of the Year and National Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News, averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per contest. He was also a first team Freshman All-American by Basketball Times.