Friday, November 18th, 2011 at 5:22 pm  |  39 responses

Photos: Best of Jason Williams

White Chocolate turns 36 today—here’s a gallery of his best photo moments.

by Abe Schwadron / @abe_squad

Anyone with a certain skin tone who played hoops in the early 2000s was almost certainly at some point referred to as “White Chocolate.” Yes, even I was dubbed as such, upon dropping a behind-the-back pass in a sixth grade scrimmage. (And just about every time I’ve thrown one since.) “That’s JWill!”

Then again, it’s either Williams or Nash as far as NBA comparisons go for average-sized white dudes with hair and a penchant for the flashy assist. Which brings us to today, and Jason Williams’ 36th birthday. Here at SLAMonline, we’re not about to forget dude’s impact on the L. He brought toughness that his peers respected, and creativity appreciated by fans everywhere. He turned heads with no-look passes, crazy handles and quirky style choices. He was a professional Professor, before “streetball” jacked his swag. Then again, he would hate the word “swag.” To JWill, he’s just real. Being real brought him a long NBA career, one that included an NBA title with the Miami Heat. So, in honor of his born day, we present a gallery of some of his most photogenic moments—from joking with the guys to awkward off-court shots. Because rather than searching JWill’s greatest moments in time, it’s best we remember him for what he brought to the game: love.

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  • meloman2.0

    Happy Burfday to the flashiest player you’ll ever see. Much respect White Chocolate

  • AJ

    Much repsect to Jwill. And to Slam for the recognition.

  • P.barr

    Respect

  • Heals

    I’m gunna love seeing this posted on 11-18-2041 when Whit Eboy’ll be 66. I just see a whole bunch of 50+ year old white guys arguing with a bunch youngings about how “nice” JWill’s game was and how they have no idea how much their sleeping on it. Next stop: youtube…

  • http://nba.com GP23

    I will always remember that behind-the-back elbow pass he did in the 2000 rookie game… It was craazzy!!

  • Enigmatic

    LOL @ #8.

  • http://theurbangriot.com The NUPE

    For a second when I saw Van Gudy in pic #26, I thought JWill was standing next to Ron Jeremy

  • Danny_W_UK

    Happy Birthday JWill. My all time favourite NBA Player, on the only team I care for. To me, you were better than Mike. You stopped the Kings being a laughing stock, and made them the must see team of the league. Even if it did cost me about £800 a season to watch you on VHS (thanks Pontel).

  • Bojangles

    NBA Showman of the decade. That cross on GP, leaving him dumbfounded(carry or not) was the type of basketball that highlighted my youth. One of a kind. Next stop: eBay for a J Will jersey and that Ho Depot t-shirt LOL

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com The Black Skip Bayless

    #25. Hand all in j-Wills crotch and ish. lol needs to be a meme. now.

  • ALEX80

    Felicidades my man point premiere.

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    Jason Williams was honestly the flashiest point guard I had ever seen (I didn’t get the chance to watch Magic in the 80s, I grew up watching 90s basketball), when he was in his rookie year. Him and VC had a ROY award competition for the ages. There was a pass he had in 2000 (or ’99) against the Suns where he was at the three point line and threw a behind the back BOUNCE PASS all the way to C-Webb who was right in front of the basket. Still the best pass I’ve ever seen, next to his elbow pass.

  • http://gmail.com z

    Yea that elbow pass was craaazy. Truly the highlight of the 2000 all star weekend until…well…vince…well yknow. But man those years with the kings I loved whit eboy, I hated rick adelman for trying to cage eboy’s creativity (regardless of how inefficient Jwill was I loved his energy so much!). The one thing that bothered me about him was something that had nothing to do with him but rather with society at large: the fact that jwill was embraced instantly for his impetuous bold exciting style while other players (read that as allen iverson) were bashed endlessly for essentially the same traits. I’ve always wondered why that was, anyone here have any theories? Lol

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com The Black Skip Bayless

    ^one was the next great white hope & the other was “a model of everything thug”

  • http://slamonline.com Ugh

    For all his faults, I think Whit Eboy has the best Yinka Dare highlight reel ever. And that’s saying something.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twcgKPIRcio

  • the preacher

    j-will is the most under-rated, under appreciated , under paid , overlooked player probably of all time. i remember back in the day he actually hit number 1 in jersey sales. its sad when you think about it, 50-60 years from now when everyone who had the pleasure of watching this cat ball at his prime pass away, there would not be anyone around to tell the story of his games legend. not even 1 allstar game to show for all those crazy highlights.

  • ab40

    ha was a nice passer but legend? be real.

  • Justin

    Legend is just a slight overstatement. lol

  • tavoris

    based on skill alone, he shoulda been neck-and-neck with Jason Kidd and Steve Nash over the last decade. He took horrible shots, but you can’t teach the kind of vision this man had.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    I loved this. Thanks, SLAM.

  • miller126

    Thanks SLAM always appreciate the love for Jwill, one of a kind entertainer. A lot of late nights back in the day waiting for the late night west coast Kings games, great memories. Still cant believe he’s 36, the world still needs more Jwill!

  • http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/silvastpierre.jpg Jukai

    JWill was never embraced… what the hell… selective memory.

  • blackthought

    still remember the scoop joint in slam 40; “doubleplatinum:2millionserved” – cwebb & eboy, man what a wicked combo that was. and the passes he was throwing in his rookie year…..

  • http://slamonline.com Eldon Khorshidi

    Easily my favorite player / basketball inspiration growing up. Elbow pass still gives me chills.

  • AQWORD

    RESPEK ! J Willest player to watch Sactown days. One !

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    I also forgot about the sick double crossover he laid on Gary Payton in his rookie year. Payton knew he was beat so he stuck out his feet and tried to trip JWill so he wouldn’t finish the play, but he did anyway. In normal speed, that play is amazing.

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com The Black Skip Bayless

    Word to Tariq Abdul Wahad

  • purity

    Tariq Abdul Wahad was nice, but his cousin Aye Wahsnot Goode had a better all around game

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com The Black Skip Bayless

    LMAO. Nice. TAW was hot garbage though.

  • EtheKnickFan

    GP was one of the best defensive pg’s ever…..and he got BROKE. Just watchin that video bought back memories of me n my brother screamin about how GP gonna have probs with those ankles forever. NBA irony– flashiest pg passers/handlers rarely make allstar game. Thats the one game I especially want to see alleys n behind the backs

  • HowHeDoDat

    Looks like he tweaked his ankle on pic # 29.

  • http://nbasobrietystrike.blogspot.com/ CoolWhip

    The pic with him and Hubie is fantastic. I forgot that Hubie came back to the league and coached Memphis for a bit.
    Haahahah J-Will and Hubie is the definition of ‘odd-ball couple’

  • http://www.twitter.com/BigFutureLG BigFuture37

    People forget he was instrumental in winning the heats 1st chip…the 05-06 heat won with a whole bunch of role players…and the 10-11 heat failed with 3 star players and…other guys lol

  • EdLOmax23

    Unfortunately for all his dope skills, which he had aplenty, eboy will also be known for non hustle plays like the one pictured where Rajon beats him for the rock from the pine and still makes the bucket……..

  • http://www.twitter.com/dfrance21 dfrance21

    Man that cross on GP should have been pictured. IMO, that was the greatest in game cross just because it was Payton and he tried to trip him! It was almost like GP was thinking “who does this white boy think he is crossing me over?” lol.

  • http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/10/27/lockout-q-and-a-kevin-murphy/index.html Allenp

    Jason Williams is properly rated.
    Dude had all the skills, lacked the discipline and killer instinct. Nasty handle, nice hops, but settled for way too many jumpers. Plus, we all know he loved his weed.
    And he and Nash weren’t really average size. They were both like 6’3″. That’s prototypical point guard size, and quite tall for humans.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Essentially the most overrated PG over the last 20 years. I would have rather had Brevin Knight running my squads.

  • Prick James

    Wouldn’t you love to see him become an NBA coach… just imagine him trying to tell some young hot dog kid to take some mustard off the wiener; and he’d probably have no f*&%ing IDEA!!!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    Great baller, not a great NBA player. Very fun to watch though.

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