John "Hot Rod" Williams
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 9, 1962 Sorrento, Louisiana |
| Died | December 11, 2015 (aged 53) near Sorrento, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | St. Amant (St. Amant, Louisiana) |
| College | Tulane (1981–1985) |
| NBA draft | 1985 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45th overall |
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Playing career | 1985–1999 |
| Position | Power forward / Center |
| Number | 18 |
| Career history | |
| 1985 | Rhode Island Gulls |
| 1986 | Staten Island Stallions |
| 1986–1995 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1995–1998 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1999 | Dallas Mavericks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 9,784 (11.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 5,998 (6.8 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,456 (1.6 bpg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
John "Hot Rod" Williams (August 9, 1962 – December 11, 2015) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 to 1999.
Williams was born in Sorrento, Louisiana, a small town near Baton Rouge. He got the nickname "Hot Rod" as a baby due to his habit of making engine-like noises as he scooted backwards across the floor.
A 6'11" power forward/center, he played collegiately at Tulane University, leaving as that school's second all-time leading scorer.
On March 27, 1985, Williams was arrested for suspicion of point shaving. According to the indictment, Williams had taken at least $8,550 from Gary Kranz for influencing point spreads in games against Southern Miss, Memphis State and Virginia Tech. Williams was charged with sports bribery and conspiracy; his first trial ended with a mistrial, but during his second trial a jury found him not guilty of all five counts.
Williams was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1985 NBA draft with the 21st pick of the second round (45th overall). However, due to the trial, Williams spent the 1985–86 season playing for the United States Basketball League. Able to play for the Cavs the next year, Williams was named to the NBA all-rookie team for the 1986-87 season, along with teammates Ron Harper and Brad Daugherty. Perhaps Williams' finest season occurred in 1989, when he averaged 16.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.04 blocked shots per game while mostly serving as the team's sixth man. Following the 1989-90 season, he resigned with the Cavaliers to a 7-year, $26.5 million contract, making him one of the 5 highest paid players in the NBA in the early 1990s. At the time, this was an unprecedented salary for a sixth man like Williams. Prior March 22, 2009, he ranked as the Cavaliers' all-time leader in blocked shots (1,200) (surpassed by Žydrūnas Ilgauskas). Williams spent nine seasons with the Cavs before being traded to the Phoenix Suns for Dan Majerle during the 1995 offseason. He finished out his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks.
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