Accidental All-Star: The lives of Jayson Williams
From the streets of the Lower East Side to his palatial estate in New Jersey, it was a long journey for former Net Jayson Williams, now on trial for manslaughter.
By Steve Irsay
Court TV
At age 32, Jayson Williams could have had the retirement that most people, including the former NBA star himself, dream about.
He peaked late with the New Jersey Nets, and his career was over in a flurry of serious injuries and ill-fated comebacks, but one stellar season had been enough to make his farewell a big one: a guaranteed $86 million contract, a sprawling playground of an estate in the woods of New Jersey and enough high-profile pals and business opportunities to occupy his time.
Off the court, Williams shined long before his court game caught up. He adopted the children of his dead sisters, threw fundraisers for sick kids and donated millions to charity. He was well-spoken and outspoken, launching as many one-liners as jumpshots, welcoming everyone from journalists to fans along for his fun-loving ride.
But there was always a dark side to Williams, bubbling below his good-guy demeanor and bellowing laugh. In his autobiographical book, he described it as "a lot of beers and barroom brawls, and some scrapes with the law and too many fights."
Trouble always seemed to nip at his heels during his slow and unsteady rise. And the delicate balancing act may have finally toppled on Valentine's Day of last year, when he accidentally shot a limo driver during a drunken gathering at his New Jersey estate. He now faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted of aggravated manslaughter.