It is always disappointing when a well known and popular sports player has decided to call it a career after a long ride through the glory and frustration of the game.  It is even more disappointing, upsetting even, when one of the most generous and civilized, and consequently one of the most popular players, has the decision made for him before his system has completely worn out, and he has to end it all before he has to. Jayson Williams is a prime example of the latter.

    One of the toughest, most hard working, and most popular players of this generation, Williams, center of the New Jersey Nets, has announced that he will retire from the game of basketball. After grinding it out through various injuries throughout his short, nine year career, a broken foot that he suffered last March did him in. He was attempting an early comeback from a broken leg he suffered on April 1st of 1999, when he landed on a teamate's foot after shooting a jumper in a team practice.

    Jayson Williams is known primarily for his aggressive defense and monsterous rebounding. Being an undersized center at only 6'10, 245 pounds, Williams averaged 7.5 rebounds for his career, dispite playing only 20.6 minutes per game. It was, however in the last four years of his career when he really shined. Playing with increased minutes after showing a talent for grabbing boards, he averaged 12.3 per game, while adding 10.9 points per contest in those four years. He was selected to the all-star game in the 1997-98 season after averaging 13.6 rebounds and 12.9 points per game that year. He grabbed 10 rebounds in that all-star classic.

    Unfortunately, he is also known for his numerous injuries. After being drafted by the Phoenix Suns and then traded to the Philadelphia Sixers before the season began in 1990, Williams played two years as a bench warmer with the Sixers, playing in only 102 combined, 52 in his rookie year, and 50 in 1991-92. 

    The following year, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Things did not start out well  there, though, as Williams dislocated his ankle and fractured his fibula. These injuries kept him out for 67 games.  

    During the next 3 years, Williams broke the string of injuries and played in 225 games in those years. His career began to lift off at that point, but, in 96-97, it was brought back down again. Being plagued with a bruised right knee and sprained ligaments in his right thumb, which required surgery, he missed a total of 41 games. He was limited to only 65 games the following year with a broken right thumb, and other injuries. He played 30 games in the 1998-99 season before breaking his leg, which would ultimately end his career.

    It shouldn't have happened this way. It should never happen this way. It is an utter travesty when any sports player has to end his/her career early because of injury. The fact that it is Jayson Williams makes it even more painful. We are talking about one of the most classy players that has come around in a long time. A guy who routinely donates money to all sorts of different charities in New Jersey, and sets up charity softball games benefiting Tomorrow's Children's Institue.  A guy who hangs around at the arena after games giving his fans autographs.A guy who takes loving care of two children he adopted, named Monique and Ejay. A guy who spends his spare time restoring crumbled buildings in Plainfield, New Jersey. This is a black day for basketball, because one of its toughest and most hard working players on the court, and one of its most kind and giving citizens off the court, is walking away from the game he loves, all because of an unfortunate accident.

Jon Atwood, McLean
 
6/30/2000
 
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