What is Jason Williams's Net Worth?
Jason Williams is a former American professional basketball player who has a net worth of $20 million. Not to be confused with another NBA player named Jay Williams or another NBA player named Jayson Williams, this Jason Williams in the NBA from 1998 to 2011. During his time in the NBA Jason earned $55 million in salary alone.
With the Miami Heat, he won the 2006 NBA championship. Nicknamed "White Chocolate" for his unorthodox street-style showmanship on the court, Williams also played with the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and Orlando Magic.
Williams finished his career with 8,266 points, 4,611 assists, and 933 steals.
Early Life and High School
Jason Williams was born on November 18, 1975 in Belle, West Virginia. There, he attended DuPont High School, where he played basketball with the DuPont Panthers and led the team to a state championship appearance in 1994. Williams became the only player in the school's history to reach 1,000 points and 500 assists.
Collegiate Career
Although he originally committed to Providence College in Rhode Island, Williams chose to attend Marshall University in West Virginia following the departure of coach Rick Barnes from Providence. After redshirting his first season at Marshall, Williams averaged 13.4 points and 6.4 assists per game in the 1995-96 season. He subsequently transferred to the University of Florida, where Marshall coach Billy Donovan had moved. Williams made his debut with the Florida Gators in the 1997-98 season, and set a single-game school record with 17 assists in a December game against Duquesne. However, in early 1998, he was suspended for the remainder of the season for cannabis use.
Sacramento Kings
After being suspended from the University of Florida, Williams chose to enter the 1998 NBA draft. He was ultimately selected by the Sacramento Kings. Williams had a strong rookie season, helping the Kings make it to the playoffs. In the 2000-01 season, he was suspended for the first five games due to his failure to comply with the NBA's anti-drug program. Williams ran into further trouble that season for allegedly hurling racist slurs at various Asian-American fans during a game against the Golden State Warriors at the Oakland Arena. As a consequence, the NBA issued him a $15,000 fine, and the Kings decided to trade him.
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Memphis Grizzlies, 2001-2005
In 2001, Williams joined the Vancouver Grizzlies, which soon became the Memphis Grizzlies upon the team's relocation to Tennessee. The team subsequently hired coach Hubie Brown out of retirement, and in his first season, he led the Grizzlies to a franchise record of 28 wins. During Williams's final season with the Grizzlies in 2005, the team made it to the playoffs and was swept by the Phoenix Suns. Following the loss, Williams was allegedly involved in an altercation with columnist Geoff Calkins, who had claimed that Williams didn't care about winning games. Williams reportedly screamed in Calkins's ear and grabbed his pen away from him; for the incident, he was fined $10,000.
Miami Heat
Williams had his best career season after joining the Miami Heat in 2005. Starting at point guard for the 2005-06 season, he became the team's third leading scorer, with an average of 12.3 points per game. The Heat advanced to the playoffs and defeated the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals en route to an appearance in the NBA Finals. Ultimately, the team won the championship over the Dallas Mavericks, giving Williams his first and only NBA championship title. This would be the peak of his success, as he was limited to 61 games in the 2006-07 season. In the first round of the playoffs, the Heat was swept by the Bulls. Williams played 67 games the next season and only averaged 8.7 points per game.
Orlando Magic
Williams signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer of 2008. However, he announced his retirement before the start of the season due to persistent injuries. Williams came out of retirement in early 2009 and signed with the Orlando Magic that summer. He played all 82 of the team's games that season, plus all 14 of its playoff games. The Magic ultimately fell to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Williams re-signed with the team in the summer of 2010, but after having knee surgery and missing many games due to injury, he was released in early 2011.
Return to the Grizzlies
Williams returned to the Grizzlies in February of 2011 on a two-year contract. However, two months later, he announced his retirement from the NBA for the second and final time.
Personal Life
Williams is married to Denika Kisty, a fellow former University of Florida athlete who participated in track and field at the school. The couple has a daughter named Jaxon and a daughter named Mia.
Despite his success in the NBA, Williams preferred to stay out of the spotlight. He continues to live a low-key lifestyle, with his hobbies including playing video games and cards. Williams has several tattoos, including a panther on his right arm and a dragon on his left.
