Terrence Williams

Terrence Williams
Terrence Williams
Born	Terrence Deshon Williams; June 28, 1987 (age 39); Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupation	Professional basketball player (retired)
Years active	2009–2015
Known for	NBA player, triple-double rookie for New Jersey Nets

Terrence Deshon Williams (born June 28, 1987) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. Selected 11th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, he served as senior co-captain for the 2008–09 University of Louisville Cardinals squad.

Early career

Williams was a four-year starter at Rainier Beach High School, where he led his team to a state championship in 2003 and posted an average of 21.7 points during his senior year. Besides basketball, he also participated in football as a wide receiver and free safety. After evaluating offers from Indiana and Kansas, he ultimately chose to play for the University of Louisville.

In the 2007–08 season, Williams achieved Louisville’s third and fourth triple-doubles, including a standout game with 14 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds in the season opener against Hartford, followed by another triple-double performance versus Seton Hall. He gained the rare distinction of appearing on three consecutive Sports Illustrated covers and was a finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award, while also being named to the first-team All-Senior All-America.

Coach Rick Pitino praised Williams’ extraordinary athleticism, referring to him as "a freakish athlete." Renowned for his dunking ability, he claimed victory in the dunk contest at the 2005 Kentucky Derby Basketball Classic.

New Jersey Nets (2009–2010)

Williams entered the NBA when the New Jersey Nets selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, signing a contract spanning four years. He initially received playing opportunities but saw his role diminish due to disciplinary issues such as lateness and missing team events. His minutes increased following an injury to Devin Harris and discussions with team officials. On April 9, 2010, Williams notched a triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists during a double-overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls, becoming the first Nets rookie since 2001 to achieve this feat.

At the start of his second season, Williams continued to breach team rules despite fines imposed. On November 26, 2010, he was assigned to the Springfield Armor of the NBA D-League. Nets head coach Avery Johnson clarified this reassignment was related to limited court time rather than disciplinary action. Williams was recalled back to the Nets on December 7, 2010.

Houston Rockets (2010–2012)

Williams was traded to the Houston Rockets on December 15, 2010, as part of a three-team transaction involving the Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Over 12 games with Houston, he averaged 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds before being released on March 16, 2012.

In a later interview from 2014, Rockets GM Daryl Morey acknowledged that acquiring Williams via a first-round draft pick trade was among his poorest decisions.

Sacramento Kings (2012)

Following his release by Houston, Williams signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings on March 21, 2012. He secured a contract for the rest of that season on March 31, 2012.

Guangdong Southern Tigers (2012–2013)

Williams participated in the Detroit Pistons' training camp in October 2012 but was released on October 22. The following month, he signed with China's Guangdong Southern Tigers, remaining with the club until February 2013.

Boston Celtics (2013)

On February 20, 2013, Williams secured a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics and subsequently inked a multi-year agreement on March 3. His last NBA game occurred during the Celtics' playoff defeat to the New York Knicks on May 3. Boston waived him on June 30, 2013.

Türk Telekom (2013)

Williams joined Türk Telekom of the Turkish Basketball League in October 2013 but parted ways on November 14 after appearing in just two matches.

Los Angeles D-Fenders (2013–2014)

He signed with the Los Angeles D-Fenders on December 31, 2013. On January 31, 2014, Williams set a new franchise record by scoring 50 points in a single game, eclipsing the previous mark of 49 points.

Brujos de Guayama (2014)

In April 2014, Williams signed with Puerto Rico's Brujos de Guayama but was released by May 1.

Meralco Bolts (2014)

Williams joined the Meralco Bolts in the Philippines on May 18, 2014, but departed after participating in three games within one week.

Soles de Santo Domingo (2014)

During 2014, Williams competed for Soles de Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Reales de La Vega (2014)

That same year, he also played for Reales de La Vega in the Dominican Republic.

Fuerza Regia (2014–2015)

Williams signed with Mexico's Fuerza Regia on December 26, 2014. In his debut performance, he contributed 19 points alongside two rebounds and six assists in a 101–85 victory over Gigantes Estado de Mexico.

Vaqueros de Bayamón (2015)

On January 17, 2015, Williams agreed to join Israel's Maccabi Ashdod but left after ten days without making an appearance. He later signed with Puerto Rico's Vaqueros de Bayamón in March but was released following only two league games.

Guaiqueríes de Margarita (2015)

In April 2015, Williams committed to Venezuela's Guaiqueríes de Margarita for the remainder of that year's LPB season.

On October 6, 2015, Williams signed with the newly formed AmeriLeague for its upcoming season; however, the league ceased operations after its founder was revealed as a fraud.

Regular season

|- | align="left" | | align="left" | New Jersey Nets | 78 || 9 || 22.6 || .401 || .310 || .715 || 4.5 || 2.9 || .6 || .1 || 8.4 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | New Jersey Nets | 10 || 0 || 20.6 || .397 || .333 || .500 || 3.6 || 3.1 || .5 || .0 || 6.7 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Houston Rockets | 11 || 0 || 7.6 || .333 || .200 || .818 || 1.4 || .6 || .4 || .0 || 3.5 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Houston Rockets | 12 || 0 || 15.1 || .351 || .421 || .500 || 2.4 || .8 || .3 || .1 || 4.5 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Sacramento Kings | 18 || 0 || 20.5 || .461 || .296 || .618 || 4.1 || 3.1 || .9 || .3 || 8.8 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Boston Celtics | 24 || 0 || 13.3 || .495 || .333 || .429 || 1.8 || 1.6 || .5 || .1 || 4.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 153 || 9 || 19.1 || .412 || .317 || .659 || 3.6 || 2.4 || .5 || .1 || 7.1

Playoffs

|- | align="left" | 2013 | align="left" | Boston | 5 || 0 || 9.6 || .200 || .000 || .500 || 2.0 || 1.2 || .0 || .2 || 1.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 5 || 0 || 9.6 || .200 || .000 || .500 || 2.0 || 1.2 || .0 || .2|| 1.0

Personal life

Williams is known for having a collection exceeding 300 sneaker pairs and carries the nickname "T-Will."

Criminal charges

On October 7, 2021, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed criminal charges against Williams, accusing him of orchestrating a scheme that defrauded the NBA's health plan of close to $4 million by submitting fraudulent claims involving former NBA athletes. He was identified as the mastermind behind the conspiracy, which entailed submitting fabricated medical and dental bills to the insurance plan.

On August 3, 2023, Williams received a prison sentence of ten years due to his involvement in the fraud operation.

External links