Frank Williams (basketball)
Frank Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1980 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 2002–2005 |
| Known for | NBA point guard, University of Illinois basketball |
Frank Lowell Williams (born February 25, 1980) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. Selected as the 25th pick in the 2002 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets, Williams played the point guard position after his collegiate career at the University of Illinois.
In 2004, he earned a spot on the University of Illinois All-Century Team.
Early life
Williams attended Manual High School located in Peoria, Illinois, where he led one of the nation’s premier basketball squads. He propelled Peoria Manual to back-to-back appearances in the IHSA class AA state basketball finals in 1996 and 1997, securing All-Tournament accolades both years. In 1998, he received the honor of Illinois Mr. Basketball.
College career
During his three-year tenure at the University of Illinois, Williams played under coach Bill Self, guiding the Fighting Illini to several NCAA Tournament berths. Following the 2000–2001 season, he was honored as the Big Ten Player of the Year and awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball. Alongside former high school teammates Marcus Griffin and Sergio McClain, collectively called "The Peoria 3," Williams helped achieve a top seed and an Elite Eight appearance in 2001. His high school coach, Wayne McClain, also served as an assistant coach at Illinois during this period. In recognition of his exceptional tournament performances, Williams was named one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" in 2007.
Professional career
On draft day in 2002, Williams was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks. His rookie season featured limited playing time, although he saw increased minutes during the early part of the 2003–04 campaign. After new general manager Isiah Thomas acquired star point guard Stephon Marbury, Williams returned to a bench role. The following offseason, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in a multi-player deal, where he was anticipated to challenge Kirk Hinrich for starting point guard duties due to his strong fanbase from his Illinois days. However, arriving at training camp out of shape, Williams spent much of the 2004–05 season on injured reserve. Unimpressed with his conditioning and effort, Chicago opted not to renew his contract. In October 2005, he briefly signed with the Los Angeles Clippers but was released after four days.
Williams’ last NBA appearance occurred on March 9, 2005, during a 97–84 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, playing six minutes without recording any statistics. Across his NBA tenure, he participated in 86 games, averaging 2.9 points and 1.9 assists per contest.
Personal
On June 10, 2009, law enforcement arrested Williams and his brother Aaron at his residence in Peoria, Illinois, following a seizure of 55 grams of marijuana. Frank Williams pled guilty to misdemeanor marijuana possession and was fined $1,000.
His son, Da’Monte Williams, has played as a guard for the University of Illinois basketball program.