Jason Williams started the break down of

[white tornado]

Back in the 1998 the N.B.A. was a bleak place for white players. John Stockton was the only real superstar and was in the later stages of his career. The European invasion was in its infancy, and the league as a whole was mired in a slow it down, isolation, one on one style. The N.B.A. really was boring. The Kings with Rick Adalman changed all that. He had the kings play an entertaining fast break team first style. They started Three white players. Vlada Divac, Peja Stojakovic (the second European star in the league after Drazen Petrovic), and Jason Williams. These three along with Chris Webber made the Kings one of the best and certainly the most entertaining teams.

Jason Williams seems to be a very unpopular person on this site and before I go into reasons we should appreciate what he's done I'll go into why he's so unpopular on this site. Jason's a huge wigger and often acts like a clown. In the beginning of his career he put showmanship over wining and would make bone headed plays almost as often as highlight real plays.With that being said I'll go into the reasons why I think he is one of the most important athletes ever in combating the caste system.

The late nineties were the worst time ever for white basketball player. As much as negative stereotypes about whites are bad now they were a lot worse then if that's possible. Jason Williams came into the league and played the way no one thought a white man could with great athleticism, flash, and showmanship. His White Choclet persona and flashy style of play drew so much attention that he became an over night sensation. He became the most popular player in the league and lead the league in jersey sales probable the only white man to this. While his persona and playing style doesn't make him popular on this site it gained him more attention than any white man since Bird. There was also much debate about race in basketball Williams was playing like no white man was supposed to for some unexplained reason. He's done more than any other player in the league in starting to change peoples opinion of white basketball players. And hopefully in the future when we look back we will one day say Jason Williams helped start the revolution that erased the caste system.

 

[ocaamikedm11]

I agree with you. I think Williams gets a bad rap, but that Kings team renewed my interest in the NBA. I always enjoyed their matchups at the time with the Jazz and Mavs were both pretty white also. And of course, disappointed whn Robert Horry would kill them every time it mattered...

 

[whiteCB]

I remember growing up so many of my friends were J-Will(as we called him) fans and a couple even had his jersey. In fact Jason Williams jerseys were the hot things back in like 2000.

 

[sunshine]

I have always been a Jason Williams fan and spoke up about it when Miami won the championship. Even though he was not the focal point he still was a key player and to me it is important that he as a point guard with speed won. Please note the Kings haven't been as good or anywhere near as exciting since Williams got the boot from Sac.---mistaken scapegoat--and I said it way back then that getting rid of him would take down the Kings. For a player with a lot of flash he was never selfish.

 

[Ground Fighter]

I have mixed feelings for this guy. I root for him when he plays well, but I'll turn my back on him if he embarrasses the White race through his wiggerish behavior (which can be often). The wigger routine was cute when he was my age and first came into the league. But isn't he like over thirty now? Grow up, Williams, this isn't high school. Act your race.Edited by: Ground Fighter

 

[guest301]

I have always liked him since the time I saw him light up the Longhorns in college for about 35 points. He did it in such a stylish way too. He had a dizzying array of jump shots, dunks and slashing into the lane for a bucket and a foul in that game. Before that game I had never heard of him before. I wish Bob Sura(a similar type athlete) had gotten as much early acclaim as J-Will.

 

[white tornado]

I think J-Will has grown up alot he's still wiggerish but him know compared to the start is a pretty big differance.

 

[KG2422]

I don't like the way he carries hisself but you have a point. Him and Eminem gave all the little wiggers some self esteem.

 

[white tornado]

1999 was the year of the wigger.

 

[Tired old White]

It may well be like early black actors had to play the "shuck and jive " roles to get work only in reverse. Sometime you have to blend in to survive.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I remember when J-Will was in Memphis. He's a good player, despite his unwhite behavior. It is always interesting to me to see every one of these "white chocolate" types shooting the lights out in these "streetball" shows. All the black spectators act like they've never seen it happen before. They also act like its the worse thing that could happen, having a white guy school you.

 

[Lance Alworth]

1999 was the year of the wigger.

Don't remind me. I was in high school in 1999, and I was trying to forget about it altogether until you brought it up, lol

 

[Ground Fighter]

1999 was the year of the wigger.

Don't remind me. I was in high school in 1999, and I was trying to forget about it altogether until you brought it up, lol

So was I. 1999 was the year that Eminem came onto the scene, so that was probably the cause of it. Although where I came from, the wigger phenomenon started much earlier. Go figure.

 

[white tornado]

What was even worse than eminem was limp biscut and his version of "metal". You should have seen where I lived three forths of the white kids had short bleach blond hair just like eminem. Its amazing how comformist our society is.

 

[cslewis1]

He became the most popular player in the league and lead the league in jersey sales probable the only white man to this.

That can't possibly be true. I am not questioning you, I simply can't believe it.

 

[cslewis1]

I have thought about this quite a bit. Does a white man, acting black, actually help break the caste system because he might get a chance that his more classy brethren would not? Probably. And that sucks.

I still can't freakin' stand Jason Williams, or anyone who acts like that. Like GF said, that was fine and dandy as a young punk kid, but as an adult, it's pitiful. And there is something called dignity that our people used to have.

But maybe, White tornado, you're correct in that it takes one like this to open it up for others more to our liking. Maybe Jackie Robinson was looked down on among his kid because he wasn't radical enough. I know Frederick Douglass was, and even MLK jr. and look at what they were able to accomplish.

Good post, and food for thought indeed. Edited by: cslewis1

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I remember rooting for the kings adamantly, especially after J. Williams left and they got half white Bibby. They were very good in the 2002 playoffs and outplayed the Lakers six out of Seven games but lost because of the horrible officiating in 4 games and then bad foul shooting in the 7th game. I am still angry about how they got jipped bigtime. They would have become the whitest team to win the championship (they would have beat the Nets at their own game) since the Celtics with Bird, McKale and Ainge.

There lineup was
PG Mike Bibby, SG Doug Christie (not sure if he's half black or part Arabic or something), SF Peja Stoikovic, PF Chris Webber, C Vladie Divac and they had Hedu Turkgulu, Darius Songalia and Scott Pollard off the Bench. They were still a very white team and they were better with Bibby than Williams.Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins

 

[white tornado]

white tornado wrote:

He became the most popular player in the league and lead the league in jersey sales probable the only white man to this.

That can't possibly be true. I am not questioning you, I simply can't believe it.

I think he was for a short period of time. He lead the league in jersey sails. Remember this was after Jordan retired. J-will, Shaq, and Vince Carter were all prettymuch equaly popular at this time but theres no way to prove it for shore but J-Will was a Phenomenom for a while.

 

[Guest]

Looks like J-Will is wrapping up his career in LA... with the Clippers!

"Drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 1998 following his junior year at the University of Florida, Williams was named to the 1999 NBA All-Rookie Team following an electrifying first season that saw him average 12.8 points and 6.0 assists. Over the next nine seasons, Williams has emerged as one of the most dependable point guards in the NBA, averaging double-figures in scoring and at least five assists per game in eight of his ten years in the league.

"Williams moved to Memphis for the 2001-02 season and over the next four seasons became the Grizzlies all-time assists leader and all-time leader in three-point field goals attempted. Williams joined Miami prior to the 2005-06 season that ended with an NBA Championship.

"The Clippers new-look roster now stands at 14 players as Los Angeles has revamped its roster by adding a total of 10 new faces for the 2008-09 season."