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Ξ September 16th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Uncategorized |
Supinie: Manual grad breaks out of his shell
Former Big Ten Conference Player of the Year Frank Williams could have had more than five points during the Night of Legends alumni basketball game Saturday at Assembly Hall, but he gladly took a back seat to the Flyin’ Illini who served as his team’s honorary captains.
“They told me I couldn’t shoot the ball,” said Williams, who broke into a smile while standing next to the banner with his name and jersey number that will hang above the Assembly Hall court. “They said I had to pass the ball. It was their night.”
The Manual High School graduate, 28, showed more emotion in the 90-minute reunion game than he did during his three-year Illini playing career that ended in 2002.
After the death of his mother in 2004 sent Williams into a downward spiral for two years and to the sidelines for almost as long, his rebirth included a return to basketball and rebuilt relationships.
Williams, who is planning to continue his pro career in Europe, said he finally might have grown up. He played last season in Italy, near Naples, and is seeking a deal acheter cialis in Greece or France this season. Williams hopes an agreement will come within the next two weeks.
Williams wants to play as long as he can, he said: “I think I’ve got a lot more years in me. Europe is a good situation for me right now.”
The 1998 Mr. Basketball in Illinois and a McDonald’s All-America as a senior at Manual, Williams earned the Big Ten’s top honor in 2001 after he led the Illini to a share of the conference championship. Then he scored 30 in a Sweet 16 victory over Kansas to get the Illini within one game of a Final Four berth.
As a junior, Williams sank a running one-hander in the closing seconds at Minnesota during the regular season’s final weekend to earn the Illini another share of the conference title. Twice he was a first-team all-Big Ten selection.
Taken with the No. 25 pick in the NBA draft in 2002, he spent two seasons with the New York Knicks, then played nine games with the Chicago Bulls in 2004-05.
Outside the lines, Williams was quiet and moody during his days at Illinois, when coaches battled to communicate and keep him motivated.
“He was an introvert all of his life,” said Illini assistant coach Wayne McClain, who coached Williams at Manual. “He now understands the value of people and friendships. He stayed at my house for three weeks this summer. There comes a time in your life where you have an epiphany and reach back to people you can trust.
“He seems like he’s enjoying people. He expresses his feelings now. He’s comfortable now saying, ‘How are you doing? I like you. I miss you.’ It was difficult for him to do that earlier. As you get older, your values change. Life is here today and gone tomorrow.”
Williams learned that in 2004, when his mother, Mary Ann Morris-Williams, died at 55 in her hometown of Chidester, Ark.
After her death, Williams fell out of basketball, gained weight and appeared headed for retirement. But he returned to competition after being drafted in the third round by the Sioux Falls SkyForce in the NBA’s developmental league before the 2006-07 season. After one year there, he left for Europe.
“Her passing took a lot out of me,” Williams said. “I know she wouldn’t want to see me stop playing. That’s why I’m back out here. And my son, Da-Monte, he stopped playing because I stopped playing. That really touched me. I realized I’ve just got to keep going. It was now or never. I think I’m doing good. I feel good.”
Now, Williams doesn’t want to quit on the game. His work ethic this summer impressed McClain. Williams also spent time with Illini assistant coach Jerrance Howard, who played high school ball at Central.
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“Frank has so much left inside of him,” McClain said.
LOU-DO: Former Illinois basketball coach Lou Henson will turn 77 on Jan. 10, the same day his 1983-84 team will be honored at Assembly Hall during the Illini-Indiana game.
That would be a good time to hang a banner above the court to honor the 21-season Illini coach.
“He’s one-fifth of Illini basketball history,” Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. “Hopefully, somewhere down the road in the very near future, we’ll have his jacket and his name up there.”
HOOPS ON TV: Illinois opens the men’s basketball regular season at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 14 with a home game against Eastern Washington, it was announced Monday.
Illinois plays host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 16 before a road game at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 (on FSN South) against Vanderbilt achat cialis. Home games against Jackson State (3 p.m. Nov. 23), Hawaii (7 p.m. Dec. 8), Chicago State (7 p.m. Dec. 10), Detroit (7 p.m. Dec. 20) and Eastern Michigan (1 p.m. Dec. 28) are set for the Big Ten Network.
Games against Clemson (6:30 p.m. Dec. 2, ESPN2), Georgia in Chicago ( …
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