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There are several notable figures in basketball with the name Ray. Ray Williams, a former NBA player, played for the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After his career, Williams faced financial difficulties and homelessness before eventually finding work in his hometown. Another notable figure, Ray Allen, was a renowned NBA player known for his three-point shooting. Allen also pursued acting, appearing in films such as He Got Game and starring in Pepsi Max advertisements. Additionally, Rick Ray is an American college basketball coach, currently serving as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ray Williams |
| Date of Birth | N/A |
| Date of Death | March 22, 2013 |
| Height | 6 feet 3 inches |
| Career | Played for the Knicks and Nets twice each; also played for the New Jersey Nets, Kansas City Kings, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs |
| Career Length | 10 seasons |
| Post-Retirement Jobs | Groundskeeper, apartment complex maintenance man, part-time girls basketball coach, bakery worker |
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What You'll Learn
Ray Williams' career in the NBA
Thomas Ray Williams, born on October 14, 1954, in Mount Vernon, New York, was an American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1977 to 1987. He attended Mount Vernon High School and later played basketball at the University of Minnesota from 1975 to 1977, where he averaged 18.9 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game.
In the 1977 NBA draft, Williams was selected by the New York Knicks as the 10th overall pick, marking the start of his 10-year NBA career. His first season with the Knicks was relatively quiet, but he soon improved his on-court effectiveness. By his third season (1979-1980), he was averaging 20.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, and he became the team captain in his fourth season.
On October 25, 1981, after four seasons with the Knicks, Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets. During the 1981-82 season, he averaged 20.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists per game with the Nets. On April 17, 1982, he scored a career-high 52 points against the Detroit Pistons, the highest in Nets history at the time. Williams helped the Nets reach the 1982 NBA Playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round.
Williams then had stints with the Kansas City Kings, returning to the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Clippers, before signing with the Atlanta Hawks. After being waived by the Hawks and the San Antonio Spurs, Williams returned to the Nets, playing the remainder of the season and the next season with them before retiring.
Williams ended his NBA career with impressive statistics, averaging 15.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, he faced financial struggles after his retirement, eventually filing for bankruptcy and losing his home and family. He later worked various jobs, including as a groundskeeper and a part-time girls' basketball coach. Williams passed away on March 22, 2013, at the age of 58, due to colon cancer.
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Williams' post-NBA life
Ray Williams played for the NBA for 10 seasons, showcasing his talent as a Knick and a Net. He was a sturdy 6 feet 3 inches tall, with an outstanding shooting touch, superb body control, and a talent for making timely passes. He teamed up with Micheal Ray Richardson in the Knicks' backcourt to put on a show for the crowds at Madison Square Garden in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
However, after his basketball career, Williams' life took a turn for the worse. Despite earning over $2 million during his NBA career, he faced financial troubles due to his generosity with family and friends, which eventually left him homeless and bankrupt. He moved to Florida, hoping for a change of luck, but by 2010, he was living in a car in Pompano Beach, Florida, and was unemployed.
During this low point, Williams relied on fishing at the Hillsboro Inlet Park in Pompano Beach to sustain himself. He also received grants from the NBA Retired Players Association, totaling $10,000.
Fortunately, Williams' situation started to improve in November 2010 when he secured a job in his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York, as a "Recreation Specialist" in the city's Recreation Department. This opportunity, facilitated by Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton I. Young Jr. and a friend from his NBA days, Linda Crawford, marked a positive turning point for Williams.
Sadly, Williams passed away on March 22, 2013, at the age of 58, in New York City, due to colon cancer.
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Ray Allen's career in the NBA
Walter Ray Allen Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. Allen played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. He is widely considered one of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history.
Allen was born on July 20, 1975, at Castle Air Force Base near Merced, California. Due to his father's military career, Allen spent time growing up in Saxmundham, Suffolk, England, in Altus, Oklahoma, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and in Germany. When he was a teenager, his family settled in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he attended Hillcrest High School. Allen played for the school's varsity team and led them to their first state championship.
Allen played college basketball for the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies for three seasons. He was then selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. In his first season with the Bucks, Allen established himself as a prolific scorer, averaging 19.0 points per game. He also competed in the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend, where he finished fourth.
In 2003, Allen was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, where he solidified his reputation as a scorer, breaking several league records for three-point and free-throw shooting. Allen was later traded to the Boston Celtics, where he formed a "Big Three" with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. The Celtics won an NBA championship in 2008. After five seasons with the Celtics, Allen played with the Miami Heat for two seasons, reaching the NBA Finals both times and winning the title in 2013. His clutch three-pointer in the 2013 Finals to force overtime is considered one of the most iconic plays in NBA history.
During his NBA career, Allen also pursued acting, appearing in films such as Spike Lee's He Got Game (1998), in which he played a basketball prodigy named Jesus Shuttlesworth. Allen's performance received praise from critics, and the name Jesus Shuttlesworth became his basketball nickname.
Allen retired from the NBA on November 1, 2016, after playing for four different teams over 18 seasons. He is a two-time NBA champion, a ten-time NBA All-Star, and an Olympic gold medalist with the 2000 United States men's basketball team.
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Allen's acting career
While best known for his basketball career, Ray Allen has also acted in several films. During his NBA career, Allen took on his first acting role in Spike Lee's 1998 basketball drama "He Got Game", playing the lead role of basketball prodigy Jesus Shuttlesworth. Allen's performance received positive reviews from critics, and the name 'Jesus Shuttlesworth' stuck as his basketball nickname.
In 2001, Allen appeared as Marcus Blake in the film "Harvard Man". That same year, he was also named honorary captain of the 25-member UConn All-Century Basketball Team. In 2007, he was an inaugural inductee in the UConn men's basketball "Huskies of Honour" recognition program. In 2015, Allen co-starred alongside Kyrie Irving, Baron Davis, and J.B. Smoove in the fourth episode of "Uncle Drew", a series of Pepsi Max advertisements written and directed by Irving.
Allen has also been recognised for his work off the court and in his community. In 2023, he graduated from UConn with a Bachelor's Degree in General Studies. He served as an NBA Spokesperson for the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program and was selected as an NBA Spokesman for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
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Rick Ray's coaching career
In 2012, Ray was hired by Mississippi State, marking his first head coaching role. His appointment was praised by Mississippi State Athletics Director Scott Stricklin, who highlighted Ray's intelligence, enthusiasm, discipline, and integrity. However, Ray's tenure at Mississippi State ended on March 21, 2015, when he was fired.
Subsequently, Ray was hired by Southeast Missouri State, but his time there was short-lived. After finishing the 2019-20 season with a 7-24 record, he was let go. On July 20, 2020, Ray took on a new role as an assistant coach at Colorado, where he helped guide the Buffaloes to two NCAA tournament bids in 2021 and 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
Ray Williams was a basketball player who played 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Knicks and Nets in 1981 and later for the Kings, Celtics, Clippers, Hawks, Spurs, and Nets again. He died in 2013 at the age of 58.
After his basketball career, Williams faced financial difficulties, eventually declaring bankruptcy in the mid-1990s. He also went through a divorce and became homeless, living in Florida. However, his luck improved when he found a job in his hometown in 2010.
Ray Allen, or Walter Ray Allen Jr., is an American former professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the NBA and is known as one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
In addition to his successful basketball career, Ray Allen also ventured into acting. He appeared in films such as "He Got Game" (1998) and "Harvard Man" (2001), receiving praise for his performances. He also acted in a series of Pepsi Max advertisements called "Uncle Drew."
Rick Ray is an American college basketball coach and a former All-American Scholar Athlete basketball player. He is currently an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University and has previously held coaching positions at Nebraska-Omaha, Mississippi State, and Southeast Missouri State.
