4/24/2021 0 Comments Sly Williams New Haven
Meanwhile the Celtics thought they had made it clear that the signing was more for the future.Imagine having had an opportunity to be on the (arguably) greatest NBA team of all time, the 1986 Celtics.
Imagine being on them to start the year but blowing your chance. Imagine never recovering from that and never making it back to the NBA, period. This week in What the Hell Happened To, those imaginations are remembered as a reality for Sly Williams. It was a rags-to-riches story for Sly Williams had been raised fatherless in the projects of New Haven, one of 16 children. Just like WTHHT predecessor Marvin Barnes, Sly was the focus of a major recruiting war between Providence College and the University of Rhode Island, even committing to both places originally. When he left for the NBA after his junior year, he had set the schools season scoring record. In the 1979 draft he was the third of three first round picks by the Knicks, 21st overall. He entered the NBA with a strong low-post game and a flair for the dramatic (just another trait shared with Barnes). But he had also begun to develop a tardiness and unreliability that would remain for him throughout the NBA and into the future. In the NBA, he would miss planes and practices, prompting suspensions, a trade, and two releases. My career was controversial, ever since I went to Rhode Island instead of Providence, he said in an interview at the Broome County Jail. Sly had very few big game opportunities in New York with the hapless Knicks. After 4 seasons he was shipped to the Hawks for Rudy Macklin. In Atlanta he rarely played during two seasons because of a broken thumb, a broken foot, and a lower intestinal ailment. But one place where many big game opportunities lay was in Boston. ![]() When the Knicks had tried to sign Kevin McHale away from the Celtics, Red had signed Williams and two other Knick players, forcing the Knicks to sign their own guys and give up pursuit of McHale. After being released by Atlanta, Williams found himself in Auerbachs office along with the Celtics coaching staff. Its worth 40. I use them, and when they break, I throw them away. ![]() Now, Auerbach said, looking at Williams, which one are you Because if youre the kind that I throw away, well find out soon. Unfortunately for Sly, he turned out to be the ones that could be tossed. When he signed with the Celtics Sly thought that he was going to be an immediate rotation player.
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