Sound effects: Pixabay.com
Photo: Wikipedia Public Domain
Story by: Gail Nobles
Info from: Wikipedia
Welcome, sports fans, to a riveting recount of the life and career of James "Fly" Williams, an electrifying figure in the world of basketball! Get ready for some high-flying action as we zoom through his story with all the excitement of a live game broadcast!
And here we go! It’s February 18, 1953, and we have a new player on the scene, born and raised in the bustling streets of New York! James "Fly" Williams bursts onto the basketball stage like a fast break! Fast forward to 1978! The crowd gathers at the IS8 League, where Williams dazzles the audience, dropping an astonishing 100 points in a single game! What a performance!
James Floyd Williams is an awesome former professional basketball player and a street basketball player.
The draft year is 1974! Williams is hot off a stint at Austin Peay State University, recruited by the legendary Leonard Hamilton. His collegiate numbers? Oh, just a casual 29.4 points per game in '73! That's good enough for fifth in the nation, folks! He’s not just in the game; he’s dominating it!
It’s tournament time! The Austin Peay Governors make a splash in the NCAA tourney! Williams scores 26 points in their first-round victory over Jacksonville University. The momentum builds, but in the next round, heartbreak strikes! The Governors face the powerhouse University of Kentucky and drop a nail-biter in overtime. But Fly isn’t done yet! He races back into the spotlight, scoring 51 points twice as a freshman. Now that’s what we call a scoring machine!
And we’re back on the court! By the sophomore season, Williams is averaging an impressive 27.5 points per game—third highest in the entire NCAA. Once again, he leads the Governors to the NCAA tournament, but this time the dream ends early against Notre Dame. *Tough break, but this guy is relentless!
With 1,541 career points at Austin Peay and a jaw-dropping 28.5 average, Williams turns pro! The Denver Nuggets scoop him up in the first round of the 1974 ABA Draft as the second overall pick! But slow the action down—his rookie season with the Spirits of St. Louis is a rollercoaster! After a promising start, he only averages 9.4 points per game. Showmanship starts to overshadow those scoring numbers!
Back to the game! The Spirits face a tough season and, unfortunately, the ABA-NBA merger puts them on the chopping block! The crowd hold their breath—what’s next for Fly? The Philadelphia 76ers grab him in the draft, but no contract means we’re not done yet!
But the story doesn't end here! In retirement, Williams reinvents himself, giving back to the community by working with disadvantaged youth while still hitting the asphalt for some streetball action. His legendary status is solidified as he’s named the number two athlete in the "50 Greatest Streetballers of All Time!" The legend of Fly continues!
And to cap it all, Austin Peay graciously retires his number 35 jersey on February 5, 2009. What a tribute to an unforgettable career!
And there you have it, folks! James "Fly" Williams—a remarkable journey of highs and lows, triumphs and trials, but always, always soaring to new heights! This story, much like the game of basketball, is never truly over!
You’re listening to EPS. I’m your host, Gail Nobles.
