Willie Farley
Willie Farley | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 22, 1975 United States |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 1999–2014 |
| Known for | International basketball career in France, the Philippines, Australia, and other countries |
Willie Deshon Farley (born August 22, 1975) is a retired American professional basketball athlete who competed internationally across France, the Philippines, and Australia.
Early life
Farley began his athletic pursuits in table tennis before dedicating himself to basketball. He played at Orr Academy during high school and subsequently transferred to Farragut Academy in Chicago to continue his basketball development.
College career
From 1995 to 1997, Farley played collegiate basketball at Chaffey College before moving to Fresno State. After a semester-long hiatus, he became eligible to play in late 1997 but departed the team after six games, reportedly due to the impending return of teammate Chris Herren. He resumed playing for Fresno State during the 1998–99 season, concluding his college basketball tenure there.
1999–2001
After going undrafted in the 1999 NBA draft, Farley signed with the Rochester Skeeters in December 1999 to finish the 1999–2000 International Basketball Association season, appearing in 27 contests. He then joined the Washington D.C. Ambassadors for the 2000 United States Basketball League campaign.
Later that year, Farley secured a contract with Golbey-Epinal in France for the 2000–01 season but departed from the team in December.
2001–2007
In 2001, Farley joined the Adelaide 36ers for the 2001–02 season, where he ranked second in league scoring with an average of 24.9 points per game and helped lead the team to a championship title.
By July 2002, he briefly played for Santa Lucia Realty in the Philippines before signing with the West Sydney Razorbacks for the 2002–03 season.
In November 2003, Farley signed with the Sioux Falls Skyforce for the 2003–04 CBA season but exited after two appearances. The following month, he committed to Anjou Basket Club Angers in France for the remainder of that season.
He returned to Adelaide for the 2004–05 season, posting an average of 23.5 points per game, earning club MVP honors, and finishing as runner-up in the league MVP voting. Despite his significant contributions, Adelaide experienced early playoff eliminations from 2005 through 2007. Additionally, Farley was second place in the 2006 NBL Dunk Competition. Renowned for his dynamic scoring ability and entertaining style, he remained a vital offensive presence throughout his NBL career.
In March 2007, he signed with Indesit Fabriano in Italy to complete that season.
2007–2009
Farley was selected by Wonju Dongbu Promy during the July 2007 Korean Basketball League Foreign Player Draft. By November that year, he had joined Mutlu Aku Selcuk Universitesi Konya in Turkey for the 2007–08 campaign.
In December 2008, he inked a two-month deal with Libertad de Sunchales in Argentina but was released after its conclusion.
2013–2014
In May 2013, Farley committed to the Toowoomba Mountaineers for the rest of the 2013 QBL season. By December 2013, he assumed a dual role as player and coach for the Mountaineers during the 2014 season, concentrating on nurturing local talent and enhancing the team's competitive standing.