Reggie Williams

Reggie Williams (CAS '87) played for the Hoyas men's basketball team from 1983-1987. Williams played a pivotal role in the dominant Georgetown teams of the mid-80s and led the Hoyas to the Elite Eight in 1987. Picked fourth overall in the 1987 NBA Draft, he had a decade-long NBA career.

Georgetown (1983-87)

Williams was a highly ranked forward and arrived at Georgetown in 19831. He had a productive freshman season, averaging 9.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game2. Williams played an especially important role in the Hoyas' 1984 national championship. Coming off the bench for the Hoyas, Williams led the team in scoring with 19 points and was named the game's MVP3. Williams continued to play an important role as a sophomore, averaging 11.9 and 5.7 rebounds per game4. The Hoyas returned to the championship game but were upset by 8-seed Villanova.

After Patrick Ewing's departure for the NBA, Williams became Georgetown's leading scorer. His scoring and rebounding both improved considerably in 1985-86, as he averaged 17.6 and 8.2 rebounds per game5. However, the Hoyas lost to Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament6. The 1986-87 season was Williams's last at Georgetown and easily his best. Leading a team nicknamed "Reggie and the Miracles"7, Williams averaged 23.6 points per game8 and easily broke Sleepy Floyd's single season points record9. Georgetown once again won the Big East and beat Bucknell, Ohio State, and Kansas to reach the Elite Eight10. There, Rick Pitino's Providence team knocked the Hoyas out of the tournament11, ending Williams's outstanding college career.

NBA career

The Los Angeles Clippers selected Williams with the #4 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft12. Williams was a rotation player in his first two seasons with the Clippers and occasionally started13. Five games into the 1989-90 season, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he saw a decrease in playing time and was eventually waived in late February14. The San Antonio Spurs signed him as they prepared for a playoff run, giving Williams a chance at his first playoff appearance15. After sweeping the Denver Nuggets in the first round, Williams and the Spurs lost a close 4-3 series against the Portland Trail Blazers16. 

Williams began the 1990-91 season with San Antonio, but he was waived in late December17. Signing with the Nuggets, Williams had a chance to take on a starting role. As a result, he averaged career highs in both points and rebounds18. Joined by fellow Hoya Dikembe Mutombo, Williams enjoyed one of his best seasons in 1991-92, averaging over 18 points and 5 rebounds per game19. Williams followed the 1991-92 season with another strong year in 1992-93, averaging 17 points and 5.4 rebounds per game20.

Despite Williams's strong performance, the Nuggets missed the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with the team. That finally changed in 1994, when Denver faced the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. In a massive upset, Williams and the Nuggets knocked Seattle out of the playoffs before falling to the Utah Jazz in seven games21. Denver returned to the playoffs in 1995, Williams's last season as a starter. This time, the Nuggets quickly exited the playoffs with a 3-0 sweep by the Spurs22. 

In June 1996, the Nuggets traded Williams and Jalen Rose to the Indiana Pacers23. Williams made only two appearances for the Pacers before he was traded again, this time to the New Jersey Nets24. After 11 appearances with New Jersey, Williams wrapped up his decade-long NBA career25.

Legacy

Williams is typically considered one of the greatest players in Georgetown history, first playing an important role on the 1983-84 championship team and the 1984-85 team. After Patrick Ewing's departure for the NBA, Williams helped maintain Georgetown's status as an elite program and led the Hoyas to an Elite Eight appearance. His career scoring ranks third among all Hoyas26. Williams went on to a productive NBA career and is best known for his time with the Nuggets.

• 1Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 168.
• 2Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 3Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 179.
• 4Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 5Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 6Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 197.
• 7Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 197.
• 8Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 9HoyaBasketball.com, Individual Records: Points, Season. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/scoring_leaders_2.htm.
• 10Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 197-198.
• 11Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 198.
• 12Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 13Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 14Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 15Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 16Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 17Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 18Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 19Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 20Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 21Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 22Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 23Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 24Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 25Basketball-Reference.com, Reggie Williams. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willire01.html.
• 26HoyaBasketball.com, Individual Records: Points, Career. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/scoring_leaders_3.htm.