Former NBA Player is Now Homeless

Times have changed since Williams joined the NBA. As the 10th overall pick in 1977 out of the University of Minnesota — he played there with Kevin McHale — Williams signed a four-year, $500,000 contract with the Knicks. He received no significant endorsements.

By contrast, 19-year-old Brandon Jennings, the 10th pick last year, received a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Bucks after landing a $2 million deal with Under Armourn and playing a season in Italy for $1.65 million.

Jennings earned more in his first two years as a professional than Williams made over a decade. After Williams led the Knicks in scoring (16.8 points a game) over his first four years in the league, he signed his richest deal — a three-year, $1.5 million contract with the Nets in 1981. But his production declined after the deal expired, and he retired in ’87 without a college degree or professional skill.

A generation later, Williams has little more than memories to show for running NBA floors with the likes of Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

“Ray is like a lot of us who had trouble maintaining our pride and dignity in new environments after we left professional sports,’’ said the Reverend Woody Bennett, a former NFL running back who has supported Williams.

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