page_title: Buck Williams
section_title: New Jersey Nets (1981–1989)
hierarchical_section_title: Buck Williams / NBA career / New Jersey Nets (1981–1989)
caption_attribution_description: English: New Jersey Nets' forward Buck Williams (center) dunking the ball against the New York Knicks, circa 1986-1988.
context_page_description: Charles Linwood "Buck" Williams is an American former professional basketball player and former assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was well known for his rebounding ability and trademark goggles.
  Williams, a 6 ft 8 in forward born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, ranks 15th all-time in NBA career rebounds. His 17-year NBA career was highlighted by three All-Star Game appearances, a Rookie of the Year award, an All-Rookie team selection, an All-NBA second team selection and four selections to the first and second NBA All-Defensive teams. Buck Williams led the Nets in rebounding for most of the 1980s and as of the beginning of 2017, he remains the Nets’ all-time leader in total rebounds, games played, minutes played, rebounds per game, and free throws made.
context_section_description: After three years at Maryland, Williams decided to leave for the NBA. The New Jersey Nets selected him third overall in the 1981 NBA draft, behind Olympic teammates Aguirre and Thomas. In his first season with the Nets, he averaged 15.5 points and led the team with 12.3 rebounds per game, helping New Jersey win 20 more games (a 44-38 win-loss record) than the previous year and earning 1982 Rookie of the Year honors. Williams established himself as a premier player at the power forward position over the next eight seasons with the Nets; in six of those he was ranked among the best three rebounders in the league, never averaging less than twelve rebounds per game. 1983–84 featured the Nets’ first playoff second-round appearance since the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Nets failed to subsequently get past the first round until 2002 when Jason Kidd led them to an unsuccessful NBA Finals date.
caption: Williams (center) dunking the ball for the New Jersey Nets, circa 1987.
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