1982-1983 Stats: 82 GP, 36.1 MPG, 17.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 58.8 FG%, 62.0 FT%
1982-1983 Advanced: 61.1 TS%, 58.8 eFG%, 18.6 PER, 112 ORtg, 97 DRtg, 11.4 WS
All-Star Team? Yes
Team: 49-33, lost in first round to New York Knicks (2-0)
BY JAKE HENSON
Charles Linwood “Buck” Williams – 6 foot 8 inches, 220 lbs of effort, intimidation and physical presence.
In just his second season in the league, Buck Williams played in and started in all 82 games for the then New Jersey Nets. A season in which, Buck chalked up a career high in rebounds with 12.5 per game to go along with a handy 17 points.
82-83 was a season where the Nets fielded quiet a strong team. A team that included quality players such as Darryl Dawkins, Otis Birdsong and Michael Ray Richardson. They went on to knock the defending champion 76ers out in the first round of the playoffs, before eventually falling to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference semi finals.
Big bad Buck, coming off a rookie of the year campaign in 1981-82 quickly established himself as the man-child premier power forward that we now remember him for being.
A self-described, ‘blue collar worker’. Williams went on to be an All-Star in 82-83 whilst also earning All NBA 2nd team honors. A terrific achievement considering it was only his second year in the league.
Perhaps the most unglamorous Net of all time, Williams will be remembered as a workhorse who gave his all every time he pulled on his Nets jersey… and that’s good enough for me. (Please, just stop the Reggie Evans comparisons in your head right now). Buck is one of only 7 Nets to have his jersey retired, and deserves every accolade that comes his way.
Unfortunately, YouTube footage of Buck doing work in a Nets jersey is few and far between. The below short feature is the best of a bad bunch. Worth a look!
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