Monday, Mar. 08, 2010

Heels honor Williams' jersey

The sweet shooting touch of Donald Williams lifted both Garner High School and the University of North Carolina to numerous victories during his local playing days.

Last week, the Tar Heels presented one of their highest honors to Williams, adding his No. 21 jersey to the rafters at the Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center at halftime of Carolina's victory over Miami.

Williams helped lead the Heels to their third NCAA tournament title in 1993 and totaled 1,492 points in his collegiate career from 1991-95.

Williams' four free throws in the final 11 seconds of play sealed North Carolina's 77-71 victory over Michigan. He scored 25 points in both of the Heels' Final Four games that season.

"It's a great feeling. I'm just happy not only for myself, but for the '93 team, because I couldn't have done anything without my teammates," Williams said of having his jersey retired. "I wish they could be here so that I can thank them.

"I needed someone to pass me the ball and I needed someone to set screens for me, so without my teammates I couldn't have accomplished none of this."

He averaged 22 points a game in the 1993 NCAA Tournament and set a record in the Final Four, hitting 10 of his 14 3-point attempts.

Williams' jersey is the 39th jersey so honored by Carolina. Other members of the 1993 Carolina national championship squad to have their jerseys honored include Eric Montross and George Lynch.

The Tar Heels also have eight officially retired jerseys (Jack Cobb, Lennie Rosenbluth, Phil Ford, George Glamack, Michael Jordan, Antawn Jamison, Tyler Hansborough and James Worthy).

Williams, who is back in the area with his wife and children and serving as head girls basketball coach at St. Mary's in Raleigh, had one of the best prep careers in state history at Garner from 1988-91. When he completed his prep career, he was third on the career scoring list with 2,574 points in Trojan blue. He still ranks sixth on the state's all-time scoring list.

"I think with my jersey going up there, I think it's more for my family, my friends, and my community," Williams said. "I think being from Garner I'm kind of local, so I think it's really special for me."