Evanston’s NBA star

EVANSTON HAS ITS OWN NBA STAR AARON WILLIAMS

Growing up in Evanston was fun, challenging and a lot different than it is today. For me going outside to play basketball, football, baseball and riding bikes with my friends was an everyday thing, depending on the season and the weather. My first taste of “competitive” sports came on the playgrounds growing up in Evanston. we would go at it on the basketball court and playing tackle football at the park. When I was in 7th grade we moved to Mount Prospect and I ended up attending Rolling Meadows HS. One of the highlights of my HS basketball career was getting to play against Evanston and guys that I knew my senior year and beating them. I had a nice reverse dunk that game. The best team and player around that time was King HS and Jamie Brandon who went on to play at LSU. We played them in a holiday tourney and had them beat the whole game until the end, somehow they found a way to beat us. Most of the kids who were the best when I was growing up never made it, I did. Anything is possible with the right attitude and work ethic. It also helps that I’m 6’9”. I wasn’t drafted in the NBA, I played in Italy, Greece and the CBA (G-League today) before I finally was able to make a team. Once I made it I never looked back, playing 14 years in the NBA. Not being drafted definitely makes you appreciate the NBA more and you don’t take anything for granted. I was in awe playing against players I idolized growing up Like Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley etc. Not to mention getting to play alongside Hall of Faimers Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, and Mitch Richmond. Although Jordan is the best player I’ve ever seen or played against, the toughest by far and the biggest challenge I’ve ever had on the court was guarding 7’1” 325 pound Shaquille O’Neal aka Shaq! He’s the most dominant

center to ever play and I experienced it first hand. When my playing days were over I struggled for a while to find a job that I was as passionate about as basketball. I wanted to go into coaching but I didn’t want to live in a different city than my kids so I put that off. Since I’d always been interested in real estate, I ended up starting a real estate brokerage with a partner of mine. Starting your own business is never easy but we’ve been doing ok and I’ve also branched off into real estate investing as well. In the future, when my kids, daughters Danyelle 20, Cameron 17 and son Aaron 15 are all in college and out of the house, I’d like to revisit coaching, I feel I have a wealth of knowledge to pass on to the younger generation. I had a good run and I look forward to watching my kids play volleyball and basketball and whatever else the future may hold.

Evanston Magazine has discovered that Aaron Williams Daughter Cameron Williams will be playing Big-10 basketball with the Michigan Wolverines in the 20202021 season. Lets hope Covid-19 is conquered so next year the Finals/ Championship wont have an asterisk next to it. Then we can get back to watching the NBA.

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