Freeman Williams belonged to the University of Washington and was one of the finest college basketball players in the Pacific Northwest. He died recently at age of 65 because of bone cancer in Los Angeles on April 19th, 2022. As one of Portland State University’s most recognizable and proficient athletes, Williams was a four-year starter for the Vikings and is considered one of the finest collegiate basketball players in the sport’s history.
History Of Freeman Williams
Freeman Williams was also a member of the University of Washington’s Hall of Fame. All 3,249 points he scored in 106 career games came before the three-point line was implemented at Portland State, where he attended. Only former Utah star Pete Maravich has amassed more points in the history of the NCAA than he had. As a junior, he averaged 38.8 points per game, and as a senior, he averaged 35.9 points a game, excellent for first in the country.
After being selected by the Boston Celtics with the eighth overall choice in the NBA draft in 1978, he made his NBA debut with the San Diego Clippers the following season. At the time of his college graduation, he did rank top ten in the nation in three-point shooting, which was an incredible accomplishment given the lack of statistics available at the time.
Before the 1982 season, Williams was traded to the Jazz in exchange for Dominique Wilkins, who turned down the opportunity to join Utah and play there. Freeman appeared in 18 games for the Jazz, averaging 5.1 points and 11.7 minutes per game on the season.
Former Jazz Early life and career:
- He gained the most fame during his four-year tenure at Portland State University from 1974-75 to 1977-78. Only Pete Maravich has amassed more collegiate points than he has in his career (3,667).
- He averaged more than 30 points per game throughout his final three college seasons. It was one of four games where he scored at least 59 points, the other two being an 81-point outburst against Rocky Mountain in February 1978.
- Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Mychal Thompson were among the 1977-78 All-American basketball team members that included Williams. During his junior and senior years, he was the leading scorer in the NCAA.
- In January 1982, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Williams from the Los Angeles Clippers to deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the signing of the contract, he appeared in only 50 more NBA games, including nine with the Washington Bullets in 1985-1986.
- While playing with the Jazz and Bullets, Williams spent some time with the Tampa Bay Thrillers of the Central Basketball Association (CBA). With four different NBA teams, he appeared in 323 games, averaging 14.7 points per game on average.
- In 1997, Williams was inducted into Portland State University’s inaugural athletics Hall of Fame class, established to honor outstanding athletes. The institution also retired his No. 20 jersey, which he wore during his time there.
Interesting facts About Former Jazz
- Averaging 30.7 points per game, the 6-foot-4 guard is the second-highest scorer in Division I history after Pete Maravich, who has 3,249 points. Maravich scored 3,667 points on an average of 44.2 points per game.
- Williams, who played football for the Vikings from 1974 to 1978, was a dominant figure in the PSU athletics department. Williams’ top four games resulted in 81 points being scored.
- Mariani worked in the ticket booth for basketball games during Williams’ first and second seasons as a student. When the smooth-shooting scoring wonder took the court, the 1,800-seat gymnasium was packed with admirers. The fire marshal cautioned the PSU not to violate fire codes since they allowed in as many fans as possible.
- For the most part, Williams was a person who was down-to-earth and friendly in his personality.
- Williams’ three-point percentage was much more significant than the rest of the team.
- After representing the United States at the 1977 World Games, Williams graduated from high school and was named the Oregon Amateur Athlete of the Year for his efforts in 1978. In addition to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson from Indiana State University, he was named to the first team of the NCAA All-Americans.
When he was alive, Freeman Williams served as an inspiration to many individuals.
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