Gus Williams played in the NBA for 11 seasons, from 1975 to 1987, earning a reputation as one of the league’s most explosive guards and capturing an NBA Championship in 1979 with the Seattle SuperSonics. However, is career started at the Golden State Warriors, in this article we look at Gus Williams Career.
Golden State Warriors (1975–1977)
Williams began his NBA career with the Warriors after being selected in the second round of the 1975 NBA Draft. Williams was described by the The Independent Newspaper (30 May 1975) as a:
Trojan Terror: All American Gus Williams, considered the finest guard in the Pac-8, was the Warriors second-round choice in the NBA draft. Williams a 6-2 senior was the 20th player selected in the annual Talent Pool.
As a young guard, he quickly showcased his speed and offensive skills, averaging double-digit points in his first two seasons. While his time with the Warriors was relatively short, it laid the foundation for his eventual rise to stardom. His stats listed below showed that Gus Williams was a solid rookie.
| Season | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG5 | TRB | AST | STL | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-76 | 77 | 22.4 | 4.7 | 11 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| 1976-77 | 82 | 23.5 | 4 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
The Warriors fans also loved Gus Williams, as demonstrated on the below article in SportScope from January 1976.
Seattle SuperSonics (1977–1984)
Williams truly came into his own with the Seattle SuperSonics. He was a central figure in leading the team to the 1979 NBA Championship, cementing his place in franchise history. Known as “The Wizard,” Williams earned two All-Star selections during his time in Seattle and was an unstoppable force on both ends of the floor. His ability to score, defend, and facilitate play made him invaluable, and he remains a Sonics legend to this day.
- 1979 NBA Championship: Williams was instrumental in leading the Sonics to their first (and only) NBA title, averaging 28.6 points in the Finals. A clip of his 1979 Finals is shown below.
- Personal accolades: Besides his championship, Williams was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1982 and appeared in two NBA All-Star games in 1980 and 1982.
Williams stats speak for themselves and you can see why he was called the Wizard.
| G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | |
| 1977-78 | 79 | 32.6 | 7.6 | 17 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 0.5 |
| 1978-79 | 76 | 29.8 | 8 | 16 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 4 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
| 1979-80 | 82 | 36.2 | 9 | 19 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 0.5 |
| 1981-82 | 80 | 36 | 9.7 | 20 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 6.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 |
| 1982-83 | 80 | 34.5 | 8.3 | 17 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 8 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| 1983-84 | 80 | 35.2 | 7.5 | 16 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 8.4 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
Washington Bullets (1984–1987)
Williams wrapped up his career with the Washington Bullets. Though his numbers declined from his peak years, he remained a savvy veteran presence. His leadership and basketball IQ helped guide the younger players on the roster. Even as his career wound down, Williams continued to display flashes of the brilliance that made him an NBA champion, finishing with a respectable 14.5 points per game over his final three seasons.