John Williamson (basketball, born 1951)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 10, 1951 New Haven, Connecticut |
| Died | November 30, 1996 (aged 45) New Haven, Connecticut |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
Wilbur Cross (New Haven, Connecticut) |
| College | New Mexico State (1971–1973) |
| NBA draft | 1973 / Round: 6 / Pick: 96th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Playing career | 1973–1982 |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Number | 23 |
| Career history | |
| 1973–1977 | New York Nets |
| 1977–1978 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1978–1980 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1980 | Washington Bullets |
| 1982 | Las Vegas Silvers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 9,017 (17.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,274 (2.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,441 (2.8 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
John Lee Williamson (November 10, 1951 – November 30, 1996) was an American basketball player. He helped the New York Nets win two league championships in the American Basketball Association (ABA) in the 1970s.
Williamson played high school basketball at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut and played college basketball at New Mexico State University. He was a 6'2" guard. He was nicknamed "Super John" for his highly efficient jump shooting.
While at Wilbur Cross High School, Williamson played on the Connecticut state champion teams of 1966–67, 1967–68 and was runner up to crosstown rival Hillhouse in 1968–69, losing 76-71 in the final. For his senior (1969–70) year, Williamson led the nation in scoring with a gaudy 38.7 points per game average. His team was upset in a semi-final match against Bridgeport Central, with an ending score of 105-103. Cross previously won over Central in the 1968 title game in a 123-82 game.
Williamsons's teammates, Alex Scott (scored 24 points), and Clint Davis (scored 40 points), led the way in the romp for Cross's third consecutive title. Williamson chipped in 17, which was his average that year. He went on to team up with Scott and Davis at New Mexico State University where he averaged 27 points per game his sophomore and junior years. In the final regular season game of 69-70 Cross played St. Anthony's Catholic of Washington, D.C.. They were the no. 1 team in the DC metro area and one of the top five in the country. Coached by Georgetown's John Thompson, Cross was a huge underdog. All-America player Williamson scored 36 points and fellow all-stater Danny Hardy had 22 to pace the Governors to a 74-66 win. In that game, John Thompson took his team off the floor and to the locker room with about two and a half minutes remaining in protest over officiating, and not return. During this season, Williamson had a string of nine straight games in which he scored 40 or more points.
As a rookie, Williamson landed a roster spot with the New York Nets of the ABA as a free agent for the 1973–74 season. Before signing with the ABA Nets, he had been eligible for the NBA draft that year, being selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 6th round with the 96th pick, but didn't make the cut for their roster. Despite being a rookie, Williamson quickly entered the New York starting lineup along with superstar Julius Erving and rising star rookie Larry Kenon (who would get traded a couple years later). After Williamson became a starter, the team's fortunes quickly turned for the better and the team ended up winning the ABA Championship that season. Williamson was named to the 1974 ABA All-Rookie team.
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