Earl Williams (basketball player)
Encyclopedia
Earl "the Twirl" Williams (born March 24, 1951, in Levittown, Pennsylvania
) is an American-Israeli former basketball player.
He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown, and then Winston-Salem State University
. In the 1974 NBA draft he was taken by the Phoenix Suns
in the 3rd round with the 13th pick (49th overall).
He made his NBA debut on October 17, 1974, with Phoenix, and played in the NBA through the next four years, also playing for Detroit, the New York Nets, and the Boston Celtics
.
On September 30, 1975, he was traded by the Suns to the Detroit Pistons
for a 1976 2nd round draft pick (Earl Tatum
).
Starting in 1978, he played basketball professionally in Israel for over a decade. In 1982, he converted to Judaism. Williams also became a naturalized Israeli citizen, becoming a dual US-Israeli citizen. He starred for a portion of the time with Maccabi Tel Aviv
and Hapoel Holon
. In 1990, he was the oldest player in the league, at the age of 39.
During the Gulf War
in the winter of 1991, when Scud
attacks from Iraq rained down on Tel Aviv and Haifa, he remained in Israel and visited and assured children, while also sealing rooms to protect the elderly from a possible chemical attack. He said:
Levittown, Pennsylvania
Levittown is a census-designated place and planned community in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 52,983 at the 2010 census. It is above sea level...
) is an American-Israeli former basketball player.
He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown, and then Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University , a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, is a historically black public research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.Winston-Salem State has been...
. In the 1974 NBA draft he was taken by the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the 3rd round with the 13th pick (49th overall).
He made his NBA debut on October 17, 1974, with Phoenix, and played in the NBA through the next four years, also playing for Detroit, the New York Nets, and the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
On September 30, 1975, he was traded by the Suns to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
for a 1976 2nd round draft pick (Earl Tatum
Earl Tatum
William Earl Tatum is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'4½" 185 lb guard and played high school basketball at Mount Vernon, where he was selected large-school player of the year by the New York State Sportswriters Association in 1972, and collegiately at Marquette...
).
Starting in 1978, he played basketball professionally in Israel for over a decade. In 1982, he converted to Judaism. Williams also became a naturalized Israeli citizen, becoming a dual US-Israeli citizen. He starred for a portion of the time with Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv is the biggest sports club in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs many sports club and teams in Tel Aviv, which compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, judo, swimming, handball, and others....
and Hapoel Holon
Hapoel Holon
-External links:* * *...
. In 1990, he was the oldest player in the league, at the age of 39.
During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in the winter of 1991, when Scud
Scud
Scud is a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and exported widely to other countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name SS-1 Scud which was attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies...
attacks from Iraq rained down on Tel Aviv and Haifa, he remained in Israel and visited and assured children, while also sealing rooms to protect the elderly from a possible chemical attack. He said:
I thought, I'm not going to leave my people when I was needed. Israel is my country just as much as America. Before converting to Judaism I was a Methodist, and I grew up knowing how to serve the Lord in the right way.
External links
- NBA stats @ basketballreference.com