Kelly Williams (born February 7, 1982) is a Filipino-American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
TNT Tropang 5G
The TNT Tropang 5G is a professional basketball team currently owned by Smart Communications, a subsidiary of the PLDT, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since 1990.
The ...
in the
PBA. He played collegiate basketball at
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
, an
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
school in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, and he also represented the Philippines in international competitions.
Early life
Williams was born in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
to an American father and a Filipina mother.
He is the youngest of three children. His father died of cancer at the age of 69 when he was seven years old. He attended
Martin Luther King High School where he played in the
Detroit PSL basketball league.
As a senior, Williams was the co-captain of the team. He was named an all-
district
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
and all-
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
player as he averaged 35 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, three steals, and two assists per contest.
During that time, the Crusaders were ranked in the state as high as number one, and was only defeated in the semifinal round of the state
championships
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
.
Williams completed
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
in 2000.
During his four years, Martin Luther King had a 68–16
win-loss record. He also finished as a two-time all-league honoree.
College career
Williams was recruited to play for
De La Salle in the Philippines.
He chose to stay close to home, and attended
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
for four years,
with the highlight of his career coming in his freshman year when the Grizzlies upset the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
.
* 2000–2001: Williams scored 18 points in Oakland's upset of Michigan on November 17, 2000. As a rookie, he ranked among the team leaders in scoring (6th), rebounding (1st), assists (4th) and steals (3rd).
* 2001–2002: Williams played in every game for the Golden Grizzlies as a sophomore.
* 2002–2003: Williams played in every game for a third straight year for OU in 2002–2003, finishing third on the squad in rebounding.
* 2003–2004: Williams had a solid senior season, ranking among the team leaders in scoring (4th), rebounding (3rd), assists (4th) and steals (4th).
He scored 14 points in a win over
IPFW.
College statistics
, -
, align=left , 2000–01
, align=left ,
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
, 28 , , 26.0 , , .341 , , .321 , , .678 , , 5.7 , , 1.71 , , .9 , , .5 , , 5.6
, -
, align=left , 2001–02
, align=left ,
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
, 30 , , 20.1 , , .385 , , .191 , , .645 , , 4.0 , , .7 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , 3.6
, -
, align=left , 2002–03
, align=left ,
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
, 28 , , 22.3 , , .370 , , .283 , , .645 , , 4.4 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , .2 , , 3.8
, -
, align=left , 2003–04
, align=left ,
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
, 30 , , 27.0 , , .352 , , .320 , , .813 , , 3.8 , , 2.2 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 5.7
Amateur career
After displaying skills in exhibition games with the Philippine Team, he caught the attention of Filipino basketball aficionados. Hence, he did not disappoint as he averaged 17.1 points and 12.8 rebounds during his stint with the
Philippine Basketball League's (PBL) Magnolia. With him, Magnolia won the 2005–06 Heroes' Cup.
Professional career
Sta. Lucia Realtors (2006–2010)
Rookie season
Williams then applied for the
2006 PBA Draft. When the Realtors took the first overall draft right, they did not hesitate to pick him over two-time UAAP MVP and
Arwind Santos, who was later picked second overall by the
Air21 Express Air21 Express may refer to
* Barako Bull Energy, Philippine basketball team named as "Air21 Express" from 2005 to 2009, and from 2010 to 2011
* Air21 Express (2012–2014)
The Air21 Express was a professional basketball team in the Philippine B ...
.
The decision shocked many fans, as Sta. Lucia used to have a no Fil-Am policy. Santos was also his teammate in their time in the PBL. During his rookie season, he normed averages of 17.3 points and 9.6 rebounds
earning him the Rookie of the Year award,
making him the second Realtor to do so after
Jun Limpot
Zandro P. Limpot Jr. (born December 14, 1971), also known as Jun Limpot, is a Filipino former professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association.
Playing career
As a De La Salle Green Archer, Limpot led his team to two U ...
in 1993. He defeated Santos for the award.
His play also transformed Sta. Lucia, as they became known as one of the elites of the PBA.
Sophomore season
In his sophomore year, he improved his game immensely, helping his team win their second championship overall in the
2007–08 Philippine Cup against the
Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants while also winning
Best Player of the Conference over once again, Santos.
The award made him the first Realtor to do so. That championship would turn out to be the franchise's last.
He also won that season's Slam Dunk Contest and was an All-Star.
He finished the season with the league's
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...
award, garnering 2,762 votes over Santos' 1,775, and also was named to the All-Defensive Team.
Life-threatening illness
During the
2008–09 Philippine Cup, Williams had a double-double of 17 points and 18 rebounds in a win over
Red Bull
Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With a market share of 43%, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2020, and the third most valuable soft drink brand, behind Coca-Cola and ...
. He missed some games after being poked in the eye by
Jay-R Reyes
Jay-R C. Reyes (born July 16, 1984) is a Filipino former professional basketball player who last played for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Professional career
Reyes was the youngest player in the 200 ...
of the
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. It debuted in the league in the 2006–07 PBA season after acquiring the franchise righ ...
. The team failed however to defend their
Philippine Cup championship, as they finished in 3rd place. He was one of the candidates for that conference's Best Player award. During the
2009 All-Star Week, he was diagnosed with
thrombocytopenia
In hematology, thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of platelets (also known as thrombocytes) in the blood. Low levels of platelets in turn may lead to prolonged or excessive bleeding. It is the most common coag ...
and was out for the remaining games of the entire conference and the All-Star game.
He also was unable to defend his Slam Dunk title. With his absence, his team did not last long and was eliminated by the
Burger King Whoppers before the semis.
Return to the court
The Realtors helped pay for Williams' treatment, despite it not being a work-related illness and with his contract expiring. He kept battling the disease and was eventually able to return to the court in the
2009–10 Philippine Cup.
He scored 28 points in a win over Rain or Shine for his team to start 2–0. Against the
Coca-Cola Tigers
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
, he had 23 points and 17 rebounds. Once again, he faced Santos for Best Player of the Conference. For the week of January 4–10, he shared Player of the Week honors with
J.C. Intal. Santos and Williams both lost the Best Player award to
James Yap. Williams became an All-Star once again.
Talk N Text Franchise (2010–2019; 2021–present)
First conference
In the middle of
2010 PBA Fiesta Conference, Williams, along with teammates
Ryan Reyes
Ryan Jay Reyes (born August 10, 1983) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for TNT Tropang 5G of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Nicknamed D-Energizer for his energetic style of play, he was drafted third overall by ...
and Charles Walters, was traded to the
Talk N Text Phone Pals for
Ali Peek
Albert Henry "Ali" Peek (born February 13, 1975) is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player who played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). During his playing days, he played mostly at the center position, although ...
,
Nic Belasco,
Yousif Aljamal
Yousif B. Aljamal Jr. (born in Pampanga on June 14, 1983) is a Filipino former professional basketball player who last played for the GlobalPort Batang Pier in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is also a former NCAA Most Valuable P ...
, and
Ogie Menor.
The deal was brought about by Sta. Lucia's financial problems. It also reunited him with
Chot Reyes
Vincent "Chot" P. Reyes (born August 1, 1964) is a Filipino basketball coach who is the head coach for the TNT Tropang 5G of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He also served as the head coach for the Philippines men's national basket ...
, who had brought him to the Philippines. Williams scored 13 points in his debut. He then shared Player of the Week honors with his teammate
Jimmy Alapag
Jim Olmedo Alapag (born December 30, 1977) is a Filipino-American professional basketball coach and former player. He serves as the player development coach for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is nicknamed ...
. They were defeated by the
Alaska Aces in the semifinals. He won his first
Comeback Player of the Year Award that season for overcoming his health problems.
Chasing the Grand Slam and Philippine Cup dominance
In the
2010–11 Philippine Cup, the Tropang Texters secured the first seed. They defeated Rain or Shine in the first round. Williams and his team then defeated the
B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados
San Miguel Corporation (), abbreviated as SMC, is a Philippine multinational conglomerate with headquarters in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The company is one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Originally fou ...
the following round. He faced off against Santos (who was now a member of the
San Miguel Beermen
The San Miguel Beermen are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is one of three PBA clubs owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of companies along with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Magnolia ...
) once again in the
finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, and won over him once again.
The Tropang Texters also won the Commissioner's Cup. During the
2011 All-Star Weekend, he regained his slam dunk title.
In the
2011 Governors' Cup, the team had a chance to complete a rare
Grand Slam.
Santos however, derailed those plans, and defeated Talk N Text in the
finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
. Williams ended up on the
Mythical First Team.
Williams, along with teammates Alapag and
Ranidel de Ocampo
Ranidel Rozal de Ocampo (born December 8, 1981) is a Filipino former professional basketball player and assistant coach for the TNT Tropang 5G of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played for FedEx and Talk 'N Text as well as the P ...
, missed the first games of TnT for the
2011–12 season due to commitments to the national team. He returned to TnT against the Llamados. TnT went on to defend its Philippine Cup title.
In the
Commissioner's Cup playoffs, they faced
Barako Bull in the semifinals. In Game 1, Williams fractured his cheek bone in a loss. Despite the injury, he played 24 minutes in Game 2 and contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in the win. The Tropang Texters eventually made it to the
finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
against the Llamados. In Game 7, he fouled Llamado import
Denzel Bowles, sending him to the free-throw line. Bowles made both his free-throws, and the game went into overtime, where the Llamados outlasted the Tropang Texters and won the championship. During the
2012 All-Star Weekend, he could have defended his slam dunk title, but Talk n Text management pulled him and other of his teammates out of competing in their events so that they could rest as they had just been in the finals.
In the
2012–13 season, Williams and the Texters had a new coach,
Norman Black
Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is the current Consultant to the San Beda University Red Lions Basketball team playing in the NCAA Philippines. He is a former professional basketball player who played in the CBA, NBA, and PBA. ...
, who was a champion coach with
Ateneo in the
UAAP
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), established in 1938, is an athletic association of eight Metro Manila universities in the Philippines. The eight-member schools are Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila Univer ...
. They got their first win together against the
GlobalPort Batang Pier
The NorthPort Batang Pier is a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team that first played in the 2012–13 PBA season. The team took over the franchise of the Powerade Tigers in 2012 after it was sold to Sultan 900 Capital, Inc. Besides N ...
, but in that game, he got dunked on by
Mark Yee
Mark Yee (born January 4, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Abra Solid North Weavers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
A two-time Philippine Basketball Association champion, Yee has seen much success ...
. After the elimination round, he was once again in the running for Best Player of the Conference along with his teammate
Jayson Castro
Jayson Castro William (born June 30, 1986) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang 5G of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). His moniker is "The Blur" for his speed.
He played for the Philippine Christian Uni ...
and rival Arwind Santos. Talk N Text made it to the Philippine Cup finals once again by beating Alaska in the semis. In that
series
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used i ...
, they swept Rain or Shine in four games, with him finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the deciding Game 4. This gave Talk N Text its third straight Philippine Cup championship. Castro beat him for Best Player of the conference.
Blood disorder strikes once again; decline in play
During the
2013 Commissioner's Cup, Williams took an indefinite leave of absence, as his thrombocytopenia came up again.
It was during this time that he was out that he contemplated retirement as the blood disorder was taking a toll on him.
Without him, the Texters still made it to the semifinals, but lost to
Barangay Ginebra as injuries piled up.
Williams found better treatment in the US, and was able to play for the Texters for the
2013–14 PBA season
The 2013–14 PBA season was the 39th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The season formally opened on November 17, 2013, and finished on July 9, 2014. The league continued to use the three-conference format, starting with t ...
. In an overtime win against the Aces, he had 18 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes, the longest he had played since returning. That season, the Texters lost to the
San Mig Coffee Mixers in the
Philippine Cup quarterfinals, the
Commissioner's Cup finals, and in the
Governors' Cup semifinals. San Mig won the Grand Slam that season. Williams however, saw a dip in his stats as he averaged lows of around seven points and six rebounds while playing 22 minutes.
In the
2014–15 Philippine Cup, Williams led his team to a win over the
Kia Sorento
The Kia Sorento () is a series of two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive family SUVs manufactured by the South Korean manufacturer Kia since 2002 through four generations. Initially a compact SUV built on a body-on-frame chassis, the second-g ...
with 13 points and 11 rebounds. During the season, he was named to the
PBA's 40 Greatest Players. As the season went on, it became clear that he was a shell of himself.
Still, he was able to win the
2015 Commissioner's Cup championship with Talk 'N Text. He was also able to make meaningful contributions to the team, such as when he scored 14 points while defending Kia's import
Hamady N'Diaye to lead the Tropang Texters to the win.
Rising again
Before the start of the
2015–16 season, Williams made a deal with the Texters for a one-year P 5.04 million extension. He came back from an MCL injury he suffered with the national team in a
Philippine Cup game against the
NLEX Road Warriors
The NLEX Road Warriors is a professional basketball team owned by Manila North Tollways Corporation, NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since the 2014 ...
.
He then had six points and five rebounds in 12 minutes against the
Blackwater Elite
The Blackwater Bossing is a professional basketball team owned by Ever Bilena, Inc. that is playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) beginning in the 2014–2015 season. The franchise started as one of the founding teams in the ...
.
Before the start of the
2016–17 season, TNT resigned Williams to a two-year deal worth P10.8 million.
Aside from him, TNT also re-signed his teammates Ryan Reyes and
Aaron Aban. In the
Philippine Cup, he became the 77th player to reach the 5,000 point milestone. Against Ginebra that conference, he made a go-ahead layup that gave TNT the lead with 1:25 remaining, and his teammates were able to close out the game from there. In a loss against the
Meralco Bolts
The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team began in 2010 after the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) acquired the PBA franchise of the Sta. Lucia Realtors. The team is one of thre ...
, he had 19 points. TNT then bounced back the next game with a 117–98 blowout victory over the Phoenix Fuel Masters, with him scoring 18 points and 10 boards in just 19 minutes. In Game One of their semifinals against the Beermen, the 35-year old came off the bench for 24 points and five rebounds, but TNT still lost. In Game 2, he only had nine points as he was in foul trouble, but TNT was able to tie the series. In Game 3, he helped limit Beermen MVP center
June Mar Fajardo to just 16 points (with only one point in the 4th quarter) and nine rebounds as TNT grabbed a 2–1 lead. In Game 5, he had 18 points, seven rebounds, and three steals while holding Fajardo to 13 points for the TNT win. Despite his efforts, TNT was eliminated in seven games, with his rival Santos scoring 22 points. He also didn't make the All-Star team, despite his playoff resurgence. In the
Commissioner's Cup finals, he faced Santos' Beermen once again. The Beermen beat them once again in six games. At the end of the season, he won a spot on the Mythical Second Team and his second Comeback Player of the Year award. He joined
Bong Alvarez as the only multi-time winners of the Comeback Award.
Final seasons before initial retirement
In a
2017–18 Philippine Cup match versus Rain or Shine which TNT lost, Williams missed a three-pointer that could have sent the game into overtime. Against Blackwater, he missed the first half of that game due to heavy traffic on the way to the arena. He had to ride a motorcycle which he booked via
Angkas to get to the arena. He was able to play in the second half, and the KaTropa won the game. In a win over Kia, he had 23 points, eight boards, and one block in almost 32 minutes and was even able to dunk three times in that game. He filled in for
Mo Tautuaa, who had food poisoning. His next game after that was on his 36th birthday, in which he had eight points and seven rebounds, but missed a shot that could have won the game. In a win over NLEX, he had 17 points and 16 rebounds. TNT eventually lost to the Beermen in the quarterfinals. He then missed the start of the
Commissioner's Cup due to an injury in his upper body. He rejoined the team against the
Columbian Dyip. During the
Governors' Cup, he renewed his contract with TNT.
In Game 3 of their
2019 Philippine Cup quarterfinal series against the Beermen, Williams threw Santos to the floor while they were going for a rebound. The Beermen went on to win that game and eliminate TNT. He also missed games during the
Commissioner's Cup due to a back injury.
Initial retirement
On September 7, 2020, Williams announced his retirement from the league on social media.
He received tributes from former coaches, teammates and rivals. The decision caught TNT management off guard, as they had extended his contract up to the end of that year, but they respected his decision. TNT held on to his rights.
Return to TNT
On March 4, 2021, TNT announced that Williams would be back with the team, as he had signed a two-year deal with them. Coach Chot Reyes, who had returned to coach the team, had a heart-to-heart conversation with him that convinced him to unretire. Williams had also kept in shape while he was unretired. He also said that his decision to retire was a "rash decision". In an elimination round win over
Magnolia Hotshots
The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, or simply known as the Magnolia Hotshots, are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team is owned by San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc., a subsidiary of San Migu ...
, he had his best game since unretiring with 13 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. He missed the first four games of their semifinal series due to being put in the league's health and safety protocols. He returned in Game 5 to help TNT gain a 3–2 series lead. He then had 11 points and 10 rebounds that clinched TNT a spot in the
2021 Philippine Cup finals. There they faced Magnolia. In the Game 1 win, he injured his back in the third quarter and had to be taken to the hospital. He was able to play in Game 2, and hit one of TNT's PBA finals record 13 three-pointers made in the first half. TNT eventually won the championship in five games. He ended the season with a spot on the All-Defensive Team despite being 40 years old.
PBA career statistics
''As of the end of 2023–24 season''
Season-by-season averages
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Sta. Lucia
, 45 , , 39.2 , , .378 , , .312 , , .657 , , 9.6 , , 1.7 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 17.3
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Sta. Lucia
, 53 , , 40.5 , , .379 , , .289 , , .599 , , 10.7 , , 1.7 , , .9 , , .6 , , 18.2
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Sta. Lucia
, 35 , , 39.7 , , .332 , , .218 , , .622 , , 10.2 , , 2.5 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 14.1
, -
, align=left rowspan=2,
, align=left ,
Sta. Lucia
, rowspan=2, 44 , , rowspan=2, 34.4 , , rowspan=2, .369 , , rowspan=2, .189 , , rowspan=2, .557 , , rowspan=2, 10.6 , , rowspan=2, 2.2 , , rowspan=2, 1.3 , , rowspan=2, .6 , , rowspan=2, 14.1
, -
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, 63 , , 26.9 , , .466 , , .353 , , .475 , , 7.2 , , 1.2 , , .9 , , .5 , , 9.5
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, 58 , , 24.1 , , .407 , , .234 , , .556 , , 6.7 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , .6 , , 9.0
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, 34 , , 27.2 , , .415 , , .227 , , .667 , , 7.6 , , .8 , , .7 , , .3 , , 9.4
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, 45 , , 22.5 , , .421 , , .053 , , .417 , , 5.5 , , .7 , , .6 , , .3 , , 6.8
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
Talk 'N Text
, 38 , , 14.1 , , .380 , , .241 , , .543 , , 3.6 , , .5 , , .6 , , .3 , , 4.7
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 35 , , 16.5 , , .497 , , .143 , , .478 , , 4.5 , , .4 , , .4 , , .3 , , 5.8
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 61 , , 24.4 , , .479 , , .143 , , .544 , , 6.9 , , 1.0 , , .9 , , .4 , , 9.3
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 32 , , 24.4 , , .382 , , .291 , , .467 , , 7.5 , , .9 , , .8 , , .7 , , 8.3
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 25 , , 22.3 , , .402 , , .105 , , .440 , , 5.7 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 3.5
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 33 , , 25.4 , , .383 , , .264 , , .544 , , 5.7 , , 1.4 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , 6.8
, -
, align=left ,
, align=left ,
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 50 , , 26.3 , , .450 , , .309 , , .455 , , 6.3 , , 1.5 , , .7 , , .3 , , 6.8
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, align=left ,
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TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, 23 , , 29.1 , , .419 , , .280 , , .600 , , 7.0 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , .1 , , 9.7
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, align=center colspan=2 , Career
, 674 , , 27.6 , , .403 , , .260 , , .559 , , 7.3 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , .5 , , 9.9
National team career
In 2005, Williams was spotted by then
Philippine National Team head coach
Chot Reyes
Vincent "Chot" P. Reyes (born August 1, 1964) is a Filipino basketball coach who is the head coach for the TNT Tropang 5G of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He also served as the head coach for the Philippines men's national basket ...
after the latter liked the former's work ethic and style of play. Reyes invited him to try out for the Philippine Team. He agreed to it, ensuing his arrival at the local basketball scene. However, the national team was suspended by
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French language, French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the Basketball equipment ...
from competing internationally from 2005 to 2007.
In 2007, Williams was looked at as a replacement for
Rafi Reavis in that year's
SEABA tournament. He didn't get to play in the SEABA tournament, but he was given permission to play in other tournaments in preparation for the
2007 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2007 FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the qualifying tournament for FIBA Asia at the Basketball at the Summer Olympics, men's basketball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing. The tournament was held in Tokushima, T ...
. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury, but eventually made the team that would compete in the FIBA Asia Championship. That team finished 9th, with him making two game-winning free-throws against China to secure that placement.
Williams was again named into the
RP Training Pool under Coach
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Medina Guiao (born March 19, 1959) is a Filipino professional basketball head coach, politician, commentator and sports commissioner. He is currently the head coach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketba ...
in 2008. The following year, he was cut from the training pool because of his illness.
Williams returned to the national team in 2010 for the
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
. The team was eliminated in the quarterfinals and finished sixth.
In 2011, Williams was the starting power forward for the
Smart Gilas
The Philippines men's national basketball team (), commonly known as Gilas Pilipinas, is the basketball team representing the Philippines. The team is managed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (Basketball Federation of the Philippines or s ...
national basketball team, who finished 4th in the
2011 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2011 FIBA Asia Championship for Men is the intercontinental championship for basketball organized by FIBA Asia that doubles as a qualifying tournament for the men's basketball tournament of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, United ...
. In the game for 3rd place against South Korea, he missed two free-throws that led to the Koreans getting third place. He was able to play in an exhibition match against NBA stars that year.
In 2013, Williams was part of the tallest national team pool assembled at the time. However, he had to back out once again due to his old illness returning.
In 2015, Williams tore his
MCL while training with the team.
He was preparing to be called up for the
2015 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2015 FIBA Asia Championship was the 28th and last edition of the FIBA Asia Championship in men's basketball in Asia. It was organised by FIBA Asia.
At the FIBA Asia Congress held in Doha, Qatar, the Central Board awarded the hosting rights t ...
.
In 2018, Williams was considered a part of the TNT core that would play in that year's
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
. However, those plans were scrapped after some of his TNT teammates were involved in the
Philippines–Australia basketball brawl.
At 40 years old, Williams returned to the national team for the February window of the
2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Personal life
In 2007, Williams met his future wife Erica Waters.
They got married the following year. They had two children. They are now divorced.
Williams suffers from idiopathic
thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombocytopenic purpura are purpura associated with a reduction in circulating blood platelets which can result from a variety of causes, such as kaposi sarcoma.
Types
By tradition, the term idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is used when t ...
. He was first diagnosed with the recurring rare blood disorder in 2009.
Since then, he has been taking regular medications.
In 2012, Williams published his own autobiography, ''Rising Higher''.
The book has since been out of print after major changes in his life.
References
Further reading
*
External links
PBA.ph profile*
Profileat FIBA website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Kelly
1982 births
Living people
American men's basketball players
American sportspeople of Filipino descent
Asian Games competitors for the Philippines
Basketball players at the 2010 Asian Games
Basketball players from Detroit
Centers (basketball)
Filipino men's basketball players
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School alumni
Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball players
Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars
Philippines men's national basketball team players
Power forwards
Sta. Lucia Realtors draft picks
Sta. Lucia Realtors players
TNT Tropang 5G players
21st-century Filipino sportsmen