Hall of Fame
Another FUMA alumnus who studied economics in college, Shammond Williams never really dreamed of playing basketball in the NBA. His plans were to earn his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina in Industrial Relations and become a financial broker. Getting drafted into the NBA after college was just a bonus.
Shammond Williams is one of those well-grounded individuals who doesn’t forget his roots. When asked to recount the basketball accomplishments that bring him pride, this NBA veteran doesn’t start by telling stories of playing with his friend and teammate Kobe Bryant, he points to when he helped his Southside High School team in Greenville, South Carolina win the 1992 South Carolina AA Championship.
Williams still returns regularly to South Carolina to host basketball camps for area youth. Williams is also a frequent visitor to Coach Fletcher Arritt’s annual basketball camp at Fork Union where he dazzles the young players with his ball-handling skills and flawless shooting technique.
As captain of the PG basketball team in 1993-94, Shammond Williams left his mark on FUMA both on and off the court. Not only did he win the Thomas PG Athlete Award and Frank A. Crockett Captain’s Award, he also won the Best Drilled Cadet competition.
His outstanding performance continued at the University of North Carolina where he played for Coach Dean Smith and helped lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four three out of his four years there.
Williams set career and season records that stand to this day, including Most 3-Point Goals Made in a Season (95); Most 3-Point Goals Made in a Career (233); Highest Free Throw Percentage in a Season (91.1%); and Highest Free Throw Percentage in a Career (84.9%). He was selected the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 ACC Tournament.
Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1998, Williams also played for the Atlanta Hawks (’98-’99), Seattle Supersonics (’99-’02), Boston Celtics (’02), Denver Nuggets (’03), Orlando Magic (’03-’04), New Orleans Hornets (’04), and the Los Angeles Lakers (’06-’07).
In international play, he has competed for Ulker, Turkey (’04), Unics, Russia (’04-’05), Barcelona, Spain (’05-’06), and Pamesa Valencia, Spain (’06-’09). He was named the Most Valuable Player in the FIBA Europe League All-Star Game in 2005.
The day will surely come when Williams will finally retire his sneakers and put his college degree to full-time use, but until then Williams will continue to thrill the crowds with his game-winning skills.
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