Micheal Williams
Encyclopedia
Micheal Douglas Williams (born July 23, 1966 in Dallas, Texas
) is a retired American
professional basketball
player at the point guard
position in the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
Out of Baylor University
, Williams was selected with the 48th overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft
by the Detroit Pistons
with whom he played 49 games in his rookie season, averaging 2.4 points and 1.4 assists
per game. The Pistons won the NBA championship
in his rookie year.
Williams was traded by Detroit to the Phoenix Suns
on draft day of 1991, along with the Pistons' first-round draft pick (27th overall) of the 1989 NBA Draft
, Kenny Battle
, in exchange for the Suns' first-round draft choice (24th overall pick), Anthony Cook. That season was spent split between the Phoenix Suns
and the Charlotte Hornets averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 assists per game, before being acquired by the Indiana Pacers
in 1990.
He thrived during his two seasons in Indiana, averaging 13.2 points, 6.5 assists and shooting 87.5% from the free-throw line. Prior to the 1992–93 season, he was traded along with Chuck Person
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
in exchange for Sam Mitchell
and Pooh Richardson
. He continued his solid play in Minnesota for the following two seasons but, due to various injuries, in his final four years with the Wolves he participated in just 35 games (including missing the entire 1996–97 season). On January 21, 1999 Minnesota traded him, along with Zeljko Rebraca
, to the Toronto Raptors
in a three-team deal. By then, Williams' career was on the decline, and he only played two games for the Raptors before retiring that year.
At the conclusion of 1992–93, Williams ranked fourth in the league in free-throw accuracy at 90.7 percent, due in large part to him making his final 84 attempts. In the process, he broke Calvin Murphy's record of 78 successive free throws set in 1981. Williams continued his streak into the following season (1993–94), making his first 13 attempts. As of 2010, he still holds the NBA record for consecutive free throws made during the regular season at 97 (spanning 19 regular season games from March 24 to November 9, 1993).
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player at the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
Out of Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, Williams was selected with the 48th overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft
1988 NBA Draft
The 1988 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1988 in New York City, New York. The length was reduced from seven rounds in the previous year to three rounds.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Notable undrafted players:...
by the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
with whom he played 49 games in his rookie season, averaging 2.4 points and 1.4 assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
per game. The Pistons won the NBA championship
1989 NBA Finals
The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers....
in his rookie year.
Williams was traded by Detroit to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
on draft day of 1991, along with the Pistons' first-round draft pick (27th overall) of the 1989 NBA Draft
1989 NBA Draft
The 1989 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1989 in New York City, New York, USA. It has been regarded as one of the worst drafts in NBA history, along with the 1986 NBA Draft and the 2000 NBA Draft. Though the draft produced talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick...
, Kenny Battle
Kenny Battle
Kenneth R. "Kenny" Battle is an American retired professional basketball player.-High school career:...
, in exchange for the Suns' first-round draft choice (24th overall pick), Anthony Cook. That season was spent split between the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
and the Charlotte Hornets averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 assists per game, before being acquired by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in 1990.
He thrived during his two seasons in Indiana, averaging 13.2 points, 6.5 assists and shooting 87.5% from the free-throw line. Prior to the 1992–93 season, he was traded along with Chuck Person
Chuck Person
Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
in exchange for Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
and Pooh Richardson
Pooh Richardson
Jerome "Pooh" Richardson is an American former National Basketball Association player. he was selected in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, their first draft pick in franchise history...
. He continued his solid play in Minnesota for the following two seasons but, due to various injuries, in his final four years with the Wolves he participated in just 35 games (including missing the entire 1996–97 season). On January 21, 1999 Minnesota traded him, along with Zeljko Rebraca
Željko Rebraca
Željko Rebrača is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. Formerly in the NBA, he finished his career with the Spanish ACB League team Pamesa Valencia.-Europe:He began his professional career in 1991 with KK Partizan...
, to the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in a three-team deal. By then, Williams' career was on the decline, and he only played two games for the Raptors before retiring that year.
At the conclusion of 1992–93, Williams ranked fourth in the league in free-throw accuracy at 90.7 percent, due in large part to him making his final 84 attempts. In the process, he broke Calvin Murphy's record of 78 successive free throws set in 1981. Williams continued his streak into the following season (1993–94), making his first 13 attempts. As of 2010, he still holds the NBA record for consecutive free throws made during the regular season at 97 (spanning 19 regular season games from March 24 to November 9, 1993).