The university course of Williams is not what can be called a long quiet river. At first he signed up for Providence College (an hour south of Boston, Massachusetts), wishing to play for Rick Barnes, but he decides to change schools and engages with Clemson. Williams therefore decides to give up Providence too and will play for Marshall University and Billy Donovan. But again, Williams decides not to do like everyone else and “Redshirt” his first year (technique allowing to extend the period of eligibility. The technique consists in taking lessons, doing training and even being dressed for matches but not necessarily playing. This allows to have the right to a 5th year. This is used, for example, by some students who think they have trouble assuming the status of student and athlete and therefore of acclimating more easily to university life). In the 95-96 season Williams averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 28 games.
But the story is not over for Williams. Billy Donovan chose to leave Providence to coach the Gators team in Florida. Williams therefore decides to request his transfer and follow him there. But the rule obliges a player to have a one-year qualifying period and therefore cannot play the following year. He is therefore back for the 97-98 season where he will accumulate 17.1 points, 6.7 assists and 2.8 interceptions in 20 games, but with a record of 14 wins and 15 losses, the Gators do not qualify for the March Madness and are eliminated in the first round of the NIT tournament (sort of consoling the March Madness).
If you know how to count, you will notice that 14 wins and 15 losses, did not make 20 games but 29. After 2 suspensions from the University of Florida; they decide to suspend Williams for the remainder of the season for consumption of marijuana.
Selected in 7th position in the 1998 draft by the Kings, Williams shines as much on the field as off. On the field, in 3 seasons at the Kings, he has 11.3 points, 6.7 assists and 1.5 interceptions. Outside, he still shows his strong character and was suspended 5 games in June 2000 for failing to follow his treatment for the NBA anti-drug program. In February 2001, he was fined $ 15,000 for using racist slurs against Asians sitting at the edge of the pitch.
He traded in 2001 to the Grizzlies where he accumulated 11.5 points, 7 assists and 1.3 interceptions, during his 4 years in the franchise. In 2005 he was part of the 13 player exchange aroundAntoine Walker and is sent to the Heat. Touched by multiple injuries (especially to the knee), he retired in 2008. He returned a year later under the call of Stan Van Gundy, his former coach Miami, Orlando. He will do another year in 2010 but will be released from his contract by the Magic and will engage a few weeks later with Memphis, his original franchise. He will end the year with them before finally retiring for good.
Mentions : Taurean Green, Nick Calathes
Much quieter and more classic route for Bradley Beal. He will play a single year, 2011-2012 for the Billy Donovan Gators. During this year, he won six times the title of Freshman of the week and help his team get to Elite 8 in March Madness, where they will be knocked out by players from the Louisville Cardinals. He will average 14.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 37 games and 34 minutes of play.
He will go straight to the NBA Draft after his only year in the NCAA. He is selected in 3rd position by the Washington Wizards.
For a good but discreet rookie season, Bradley Beal has gained more and more confidence in his game every year and has diversified to the point of recording 22.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists and gleaning a selection in the All-Star game 2018 and train with John Wall one of the most exciting back duos to watch.
Mention : Vernon Maxwell
Arrived in 2004 in Florida for Billy Donovan, Brewer will spend 3 years there and will be part of the team which will mark the history of the Gators. As one of the 4 freshmans recruited by Donovan in 2004, he will be part of the team which will win 3 consecutive times (2005 – 2007) the SEC tournament (SouthEastern Conference Tournament) and especially 2 times in a row the university championship (2006 and 2007) .
The team has lined up the same starting five during these 2 years. Brewer, meanwhile, was the first player to post a triple-double in Gators history with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists on December 18, 2005.
Following their first NCAA title, Corey Brewer, Joakim noah, Taurean Green and Al Horford agreed to resume for a new year and attempt to win back the title a second time. Something they succeeded in 2007. He declared himself for the NBA draft on April 5, 2007, he will be selected in 7th position by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Journeyman in the NBA, he has already played for 6 NBA franchises in 10 years of career (Wolves, Mavericks, Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, Thunder) for often limited roles. With a career average of 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists, Brewer is a good playing role that a team is always happy to have on their team, even if their career has not soared.
Mentions : Mike Miller, Chandler Parsons
The story of Horford and Brewer is quite closely linked. Arriving the same year as Brewer, Green and Noah, Al Horford is part of the generation that allowed the Gators to win 2 titles in a row. With 10.3 pts 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on average during his 3 seasons in Florida, he is not the most spectacular player in the Gators’ squad but, as usual, he is an anchor on which the other members of the workforce can be supported. He will still finish in type 5 of the NCAA tournament in 2007.
A few days after their second title, the 4 players declared themselves for the 2007 Draft, where he was selected in 3rd position by the Atlanta Hawks. Since then, Al Horford is 5 selections in the All-star game, one of the Hawks’ most emblematic players, a career in which he has never missed the playoffs. Never flashy in his game, he is especially appreciated for his intelligence on the field and particularly in defense. In 2016, he chose to join the Boston Celtics to form a duo with the point guard Kyrie Irving. He reached the conference finals for the 2nd time in his career in 2018, but lost in Game 7 against the Cavaliers de LeBron James.
Mentions : Matt Bonner, Udonis Haslem, Marreese Speights
Neal Walk did 3 seasons in Florida, and you could say they were fulfilled. Starting timidly with averages of 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds, he continues his second season with 26.5 points and 19.8 rebounds, and achieves in his last year a 24 points and 17.8 rebounds season. Unfortunately the collective results did not follow and the Gators never saw the NCAA title.
Walk’s jersey is the only one from Florida University to have been removed.
He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in 2nd position during the 1969 draft (Draft in particular of Karim Abdul-Jabbar, the Bucks and Suns actually came head-to-head in the draft.
In the NBA, Walk is much more discreet than in his last university seasons (8.2 points, 5.5 rebounds). In 1972, he achieved his best season with 20.2 points and 12.4 rebounds. He reached the playoffs 2 times in 8 NBA seasons.
After his NBA retirement, he was found to have a benign tumor. Unfortunately, the operation to remove it will leave him in a wheelchair. Not letting himself be defeated, Walk began playing handi-basker and was even received by Georges W. Bush who awarded him the trophy for wheelchair player of the year.
Mentions : Joakim Noah, David Lee, Dwayne Schintzius
Billy Donovan is our coach for this Florida Gators team. He was first coached for Marshall before leaving after 2 years and joining Florida where he will spend 19 years coaching this team. With a record of 71.5% win (467 – 186). He is also the only coach to have won the university title.
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