Kelly Williams (born February 7, 1982) is a Filipino-American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player for the

TNT Tropang Giga The TNT (cellular service), TNT Tropang Giga is a professional basketball team currently owned by Smart Communications, a subsidiary of the PLDT, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), playing in the Philippine Basketball Associat ...

in the PBA. He played collegiate basketball at

Oakland University Oakland University is a public research university in Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson, it was initially known as Michigan State University-Oakland, operating under the Mi ...

, an

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

school in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, and he also represented the Philippines in international competitions.

Early life

Williams was born in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

to an American father and a Filipina mother. He is the youngest of three children. His father died of cancer at the age of 69 when he was seven years old. He attended Martin Luther King High School where he played in the Detroit PSL basketball league. As a senior, Williams was the co-captain of the team. He was named an all-

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

and all-

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

player as he averaged 35 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, three steals, and two assists per contest. During that time, the Crusaders were ranked in the state as high as number one, and was only defeated in the

semi-final A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...

round of the state

championships In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...

. Williams completed

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

in 2000. During his four years, Martin Luther King had a 68–16 win-loss record. He also finished as a two-time all-league honoree.

College career

Williams was recruited to play for De La Salle in the Philippines. He chose to stay close to home, and attended

for four years, with the highlight of his career coming in his freshman year when the Grizzlies upset the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. * 2000–2001: Williams scored 18 points in Oakland's upset of Michigan on November 17, 2000. As a rookie, he ranked among the team leaders in scoring (6th), rebounding (1st), assists (4th) and steals (3rd). * 2001–2002: Williams played in every game for the Golden Grizzlies as a sophomore. * 2002–2003: Williams played in every game for a third straight year for OU in 2002–2003, finishing third on the squad in rebounding. * 2003–2004: Williams had a solid senior season, ranking among the team leaders in scoring (4th), rebounding (3rd), assists (4th) and steals (4th). He scored 14 points in a win over IPFW.

College statistics

, - , align=left , 2000–01 , align=left ,

, 28 , , 26.0 , , .341 , , .321 , , .678 , , 5.7 , , 1.71 , , .9 , , .5 , , 5.6 , - , align=left , 2001–02 , align=left ,

, 30 , , 20.1 , , .385 , , .191 , , .645 , , 4.0 , , .7 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , 3.6 , - , align=left , 2002–03 , align=left ,

, 28 , , 22.3 , , .370 , , .283 , , .645 , , 4.4 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , .2 , , 3.8 , - , align=left , 2003–04 , align=left ,

, 30 , , 27.0 , , .352 , , .320 , , .813 , , 3.8 , , 2.2 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 5.7

Amateur career

After displaying skills in exhibition games with the Philippine Team, he caught the attention of Filipino basketball aficionados. Hence, he did not disappoint as he averaged 17.1 points and 12.8 rebounds during his stint with the Philippine Basketball League's (PBL) Magnolia. With him, Magnolia won the 2005–06 Heroes' Cup.

Professional career

Sta. Lucia Realtors (2006–2010)

Rookie season

Williams then applied for the

2006 PBA Draft The 2006 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rookie draft was an event in which teams drafted players from the amateur ranks. The draft was held at the Market! Market! in Taguig on August 20, 2006. The Sta. Lucia Realtors choose Kelly Willia ...

. When the Realtors took the first overall draft right, they did not hesitate to pick him over two-time UAAP MVP and Arwind Santos, who was later picked second overall by the

Air21 Express The Air21 Express were a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) that debuted in the 2011–12 season. The team debuted as the Shopinas.com Clickers during the 2011–12 PBA Philippine Cup. In 2014, the fra ...

. The decision shocked many fans, as Sta. Lucia used to have a no Fil-Am policy. Santos was also his teammate in their time in the PBL. During his rookie season, he normed averages of 17.3 points and 9.6 rebounds earning him the Rookie of the Year award, making him the second Realtor to do so after

Jun Limpot Zandro P. Limpot Jr. (born December 14, 1971), also known as Jun Limpot, is a Filipino former professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. Playing career As a De La Salle Green Archer, Limpot led his team to two U ...

in 1993. He defeated Santos for the award. His play also transformed Sta. Lucia, as they became known as one of the elites of the PBA.

Sophomore season

In his sophomore year, he improved his game immensely, helping his team win their second championship overall in the 2007–08 Philippine Cup against the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants while also winning Best Player of the Conference over once again, Santos. The award made him the first Realtor to do so. That championship would turn out to be the franchise's last. He also won that season's Slam Dunk Contest and was an All-Star. He finished the season with the league's

Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...

award, garnering 2,762 votes over Santos' 1,775, and also was named to the All-Defensive Team.

Life-threatening illness

During the 2008–09 Philippine Cup, Williams had a double-double of 17 points and 18 rebounds in a win over

Red Bull Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks of Austria, Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With 38% market share, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2019. Since its launch in 1987, more than 100 billion cans of Red Bull have been sold worldwid ...

. He missed some games after being poked in the eye by

Jay-R Reyes Jay-R C. Reyes (born July 16, 1984) is a Filipino former professional basketball player who last played for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association. Professional career Reyes was the youngest player in the 200 ...

of the

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. It debuted in the league in the 2006–07 PBA season after acquiring the franchise righ ...

. The team failed however to defend their Philippine Cup championship, as they finished in 3rd place. He was one of the candidates for that conference's Best Player award. During the 2009 All-Star Week, he was diagnosed with

thrombocytopenia Thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of platelets, also known as thrombocytes, in the blood. It is the most common coagulation disorder among intensive care patients and is seen in a fifth of medical patients an ...

and was out for the remaining games of the entire conference and the All-Star game. He also was unable to defend his Slam Dunk title. With his absence, his team did not last long and was eliminated by the

Burger King Whoppers Burger or Burgers may refer to: Food and drink Foods * Hamburger, a sandwich consisting of one or more cooked beef patties, placed inside a sliced bread roll or bun roll. ** Cheeseburger, a hamburger with added cheese(s) * Ground beef, minced b ...

before the semis.

Return to the court

The Realtors helped pay for Williams' treatment, despite it not being a work-related illness and with his contract expiring. He kept battling the disease and was eventually able to return to the court in the 2009–10 Philippine Cup. He scored 28 points in a win over Rain or Shine for his team to start 2–0. Against the

Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...

, he had 23 points and 17 rebounds. Once again, he faced Santos for Best Player of the Conference. For the week of January 4–10, he shared Player of the Week honors with J.C. Intal. Santos and Williams both lost the Best Player award to

James Yap James Carlos Agravante Yap Sr. (born February 15, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known by his nickname Big Game James, he had played for ...

. Williams became an All-Star once again.

Talk N Text Franchise (2010–2019; 2021–present)

First conference

In the middle of

2010 PBA Fiesta Conference The 2010 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference was the last conference of the 2009-10 PBA season. It started on March 21 and finished on August 18, 2010. The tournament is an Import-laden format, which requires an import or a ...

, Williams, along with teammates

Ryan Reyes Ryan Jay Reyes (born August 10, 1983) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Nicknamed D-Energizer for his energetic style of play, he was drafted third overall b ...

and Charles Walters, was traded to the Talk N Text Phone Pals for

Ali Peek Albert Henry "Ali" Peek (born February 13, 1975) is a Filipino-American retired professional basketball player who played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). During his playing days, he played mostly at the center position, although he ...

Nic Belasco Nicholas M. Bayaca Belasco (born December 10, 1973) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player who last played for the Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). He was drafted 2nd overall by Sunkis ...

Yousif Aljamal Yousif B. Aljamal Jr. (born in Pampanga on June 14, 1983) is a Filipino former professional basketball player who last played for the GlobalPort Batang Pier in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is also a former NCAA Most Valuable P ...

, and

Ogie Menor Rogemar "Ogie" A. Menor (born December 4, 1986 in Roxas, Isabela) is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Bulacan Kuyas of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). High school Menor spent high school at San ...

. The deal was brought about by Sta. Lucia's financial problems. It also reunited him with

Chot Reyes Vincent "Chot" P. Reyes (born August 1, 1963) is a Filipino basketball head coach for the TNT Tropang Giga for the Philippine Basketball Association. He is also the head coach of the Philippine national basketball team, where he led the team to a ...

, who had brought him to the Philippines. Williams scored 13 points in his debut. He then shared Player of the Week honors with his teammate

Jimmy Alapag Jim Olmedo Alapag (born December 30, 1977) is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player. He serves as an assistant coach for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. He is nicknamed "The Mighty Mouse" and "The Captain". Early lif ...

. They were defeated by the Alaska Aces in the semifinals. He won his first Comeback Player of the Year Award that season for overcoming his health problems.

Chasing the Grand Slam and Philippine Cup dominance

In the 2010–11 Philippine Cup, the Tropang Texters secured the first seed. They defeated Rain or Shine in the first round. Williams and his team then defeated the

B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, or simply known as the Magnolia Hotshots, are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team is owned by San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc., a subsidiary of San Migue ...

the following round. He faced off against Santos (who was now a member of the

San Miguel Beermen The San Miguel Beermen are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is one of three PBA clubs owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of companies along with the Magnolia Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra ...

) once again in the

Finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...

, and won over him once again. The Tropang Texters also won the Commissioner's Cup. During the 2011 All-Star Weekend, he regained his slam dunk title. In the 2011 Governors' Cup, the team had a chance to complete a rare

Grand Slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

. Santos however, derailed those plans, and defeated Talk N Text in the

. Williams ended up on the Mythical First Team. Williams, along with teammates Alapag and

Ranidel de Ocampo Ranidel Rozal de Ocampo (born December 8, 1981) is a Filipino former professional basketball player and assistant coach for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is the younger brother of Yancy de Ocampo where bo ...

, missed the first games of TnT for the 2011–12 season due to commitments to the national team. He returned to TnT against the Llamados. TnT went on to defend its Philippine Cup title. In the Commissioner's Cup playoffs, they faced Barako Bull in the semifinals. In Game 1, Williams fractured his cheek bone in a loss. Despite the injury, he played 24 minutes in Game 2 and contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in the win. The Tropang Texters eventually made it to the

against the Llamados. In Game 7, he fouled Llamado import

Denzel Bowles Denzel Bowles (born May 1, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Professional career 2011–12 season Bowles began his professio ...

, sending him to the free-throw line. Bowles made both his free-throws, and the game went into overtime, where the Llamados outlasted the Tropang Texters and won the championship. During the 2012 All-Star Weekend, he could have defended his slam dunk title, but Talk n Text management pulled him and other of his teammates out of competing in their events so that they could rest as they had just been in the Finals. In the 2012–13 season, Williams and the Texters had a new coach,

Norman Black Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the CBA, NBA, and PBA. He's the current head coach for the Meralco Bolts. He has since settled in the Philippines. He is also ...

, who was a champion coach with Ateneo in the UAAP. They got their first win together against the

GlobalPort Batang Pier The NorthPort Batang Pier is a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team that first played in the 2012–13 PBA season. The team took over the franchise of the Powerade Tigers in 2012 after it was sold to Sultan 900 Capital, Inc. Besides Nor ...

, but in that game, he got dunked on by

Mark Yee Mark Yee (born January 4, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Sta. Rosa Laguna Lions of the Pilipinas Super League. PBA career statistics ''Correct as of September 24, 2016''Jayson Castro Jayson Castro William (born June 30, 1986) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). His moniker is "The Blur" for his speed. He played for the Philippine Christian Un ...

and rival Arwind Santos. Talk N Text made it to the Philippine Cup Finals once again by beating Alaska in the semis. In that

series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...

, they swept Rain or Shine in four games, with him finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the deciding Game 4. This gave Talk N Text its third straight Philippine Cup championship. Castro beat him for Best Player of the conference.

Blood disorder strikes once again; decline in play

During the 2013 Commissioner's Cup, Williams took an indefinite leave of absence, as his thrombocytopenia came up again. It was during this time that he was out that he contemplated retirement as the blood disorder was taking a toll on him. Without him, the Texters still made it to the semifinals, but lost to

Barangay Ginebra The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The most popular team in the league, it is owned by Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (formerly, La Tondeña Distillers, Inc.), a subsidia ...

as injuries piled up. Williams found better treatment in the US, and was able to play for the Texters for the

2013–14 PBA season The 2013–14 PBA season was the 39th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season formally opened on November 17, 2013, and finished on July 9, 2014. The league continued to use the three-conference format, starting with the Phil ...

. In an overtime win against the Aces, he had 18 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes, the longest he had played since returning. That season, the Texters lost to the

San Mig Coffee Mixers The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, or simply known as the Magnolia Hotshots, are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team is owned by San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc., San Miguel Food and Bever ...

in the Philippine Cup quarterfinals, the Commissioner's Cup Finals, and in the Governors' Cup semifinals. San Mig won the Grand Slam that season. Williams however, saw a dip in his stats as he averaged lows of around seven points and six rebounds while playing 22 minutes. In the 2014–15 Philippine Cup, Williams led his team to a win over the

Kia Sorento The Kia Sorento ( ko, 기아 쏘렌토, translit=Gia Sorento) is a mid-size crossover SUV (formerly a body-on-frame SUV until 2009) produced since 2002 by South Korean manufacturer Kia. First generation (BL; 2002) 2002–2006 Debuted in ...

with 13 points and 11 rebounds. During the season, he was named to the PBA's 40 Greatest Players. As the season went on, it became clear that he was a shell of himself. Still, he was able to win the 2015 Commissioner's Cup championship with Talk 'N Text. He was also able to make meaningful contributions to the team, such as when he scored 14 points while defending Kia's import Hamady N'Diaye to lead the Tropang Texters to the win.

Rising again

Before the start of the 2015–16 season, Williams made a deal with the Texters for a one-year P 5.04 million extension. He came back from an MCL injury he suffered with the national team in a Philippine Cup game against the

NLEX Road Warriors The NLEX Road Warriors is a professional basketball team owned by NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, currently playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since the 2014–2015 season. The Roa ...

. He then had six points and five rebounds in 12 minutes against the

Blackwater Elite The Blackwater Bossing is a professional basketball team owned by Ever Bilena, Inc. that is playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) beginning in the 2014–2015 season. The franchise began as one of the founding teams in the PB ...

. Before the start of the 2016–17 season, TNT resigned Williams to a two-year deal worth P10.8 million. Aside from him, TNT also re-signed his teammates Ryan Reyes and

Aaron Aban Aaron Abril Galarrita Aban (born April 8, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Sta. Rosa Laguna Lions of the Pilipinas Super League. Born in Cagayan de Oro, he graduated his high school at Liceo de Cagayan University and ...

. In the Philippine Cup, he became the 77th player to reach the 5,000 point milestone. Against Ginebra that conference, he made a go-ahead layup that gave TNT the lead with 1:25 remaining, and his teammates were able to close out the game from there. In a loss against the

Meralco Bolts The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team began in 2010 after the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) acquired the PBA franchise of the Sta. Lucia Realtors. The team is one of three ...

, he had 19 points. TNT then bounced back the next game with a 117–98 blowout victory over the Phoenix Fuel Masters, with him scoring 18 points and 10 boards in just 19 minutes. In Game One of their semifinals against the Beermen, the 35-year old came off the bench for 24 points and five rebounds, but TNT still lost. In Game 2, he only had nine points as he was in foul trouble, but TNT was able to tie the series. In Game 3, he helped limit Beermen MVP center

June Mar Fajardo June Mar Sotto Fajardo (; born November 17, 1989) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is also known by his nickname "The Kraken” for his extraordinary siz ...

to just 16 points (with only one point in the 4th quarter) and nine rebounds as TNT grabbed a 2–1 lead. In Game 5, he had 18 points, seven rebounds, and three steals while holding Fajardo to 13 points for the TNT win. Despite his efforts, TNT was eliminated in seven games, with his rival Santos scoring 22 points. He also didn't make the All-Star team, despite his playoff resurgence. In the Commissioner's Cup Finals, he faced Santos' Beermen once again. The Beermen beat them once again in six games. At the end of the season, he won a spot on the Mythical Second Team and his second Comeback Player of the Year award. He joined

Bong Alvarez Paul Beleno "Bong" Alvarez (born June 15, 1968) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association. Dubbed as "Mr. Excitement" because of his high-leaping, slam-dunking acts. Basketball career At the ...

as the only multi-time winners of the Comeback Award.

Final seasons before initial retirement

In a 2017–18 Philippine Cup match versus Rain or Shine which TNT lost, Williams missed a three-pointer that could have sent the game into overtime. Against Blackwater, he missed the first half of that game due to heavy traffic on the way to the arena. He had to ride a motorcycle which he booked via

Angkas DBDOYC Inc., doing business as Angkas, is a Philippine motorcycle vehicle for hire and package delivery company based in Makati, Metro Manila. History Angkas is a Filipino company conceptualized by its Singaporean founder and former CEO Angelin ...

to get to the arena. He was able to play in the second half, and the KaTropa won the game. In a win over Kia, he had 23 points, eight boards, and one block in almost 32 minutes and was even able to dunk three times in that game. He filled in for Mo Tautuaa, who had food poisoning. His next game after that was on his 36th birthday, in which he had eight points and seven rebounds, but missed a shot that could have won the game. In a win over NLEX, he had 17 points and 16 rebounds. TNT eventually lost to the Beermen in the quarterfinals. He then missed the start of the Commissioner's Cup due to an injury in his upper body. He rejoined the team against the

Columbian Dyip The Terrafirma Dyip is a professional basketball team playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team is owned by Terrafirma Realty Development Corporation and originally played under its affiliate company Columbian Autocar Cor ...

. During the Governors' Cup, he renewed his contract with TNT. In Game 3 of their 2019 Philippine Cup quarterfinal series against the Beermen, Williams threw Santos to the floor while they were going for a rebound. The Beermen went on to win that game and eliminate TNT. He also missed games during the Commissioner's Cup due to a back injury.

Initial retirement

On September 7, 2020, Williams announced his retirement from the league on social media. He received tributes from former coaches, teammates and rivals. The decision caught TNT management off guard, as they had extended his contract up to the end of that year, but they respected his decision. TNT held on to his rights.

Return to TNT

On March 4, 2021, TNT announced that Williams would be back with the team, as he had signed a two-year deal with them. Coach Chot Reyes, who had returned to coach the team, had a heart-to-heart conversation with him that convinced him to unretire. Williams had also kept in shape while he was unretired. He also said that his decision to retire was a "rash decision". In an elimination round win over

Magnolia Hotshots The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, or simply known as the Magnolia Hotshots, are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team is owned by San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc., a subsidiary of San Migue ...

, he had his best game since unretiring with 13 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. He missed the first four games of their semifinal series due to being put in the league's health and safety protocols. He returned in Game 5 to help TNT gain a 3–2 series lead. He then had 11 points and 10 rebounds that clinched TNT a spot in the 2021 Philippine Cup Finals. There they faced Magnolia. In the Game 1 win, he injured his back in the third quarter and had to be taken to the hospital. He was able to play in Game 2, and hit one of TNT's PBA Finals record 13 three-pointers made in the first half. TNT eventually won the championship in five games. He ended the season with a spot on the All-Defensive Team despite being 40 years old.

PBA career statistics

''As of the end of 2021 season''

Season-by-season averages

, - , align=left , , align=left , Sta. Lucia , 45 , , 39.2 , , .378 , , .312 , , .657 , , 9.6 , , 1.7 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 17.3 , - , align=left , , align=left , Sta. Lucia , 53 , , 40.5 , , .379 , , .289 , , .599 , , 10.7 , , 1.7 , , .9 , , .6 , , 18.2 , - , align=left , , align=left , Sta. Lucia , 35 , , 39.7 , , .332 , , .218 , , .622 , , 10.2 , , 2.5 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 14.1 , - , align=left rowspan=2, , align=left , Sta. Lucia , rowspan=2, 44 , , rowspan=2, 34.4 , , rowspan=2, .369 , , rowspan=2, .189 , , rowspan=2, .557 , , rowspan=2, 10.6 , , rowspan=2, 2.2 , , rowspan=2, 1.3 , , rowspan=2, .6 , , rowspan=2, 14.1 , - , align=left ,

Talk 'N Text TNT (formerly known as Piltel, Mobiline, Phone Pal, and still unofficially known as Talk 'N Text) is a cellular service of Smart Communications in the Philippines. By April 2000, Piltel launched its GSM brand, Talk 'N Text. Piltel also reporte ...

, - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 63 , , 26.9 , , .466 , , .353 , , .475 , , 7.2 , , 1.2 , , .9 , , .5 , , 9.5 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 58 , , 24.1 , , .407 , , .234 , , .556 , , 6.7 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , .6 , , 9.0 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 34 , , 27.2 , , .415 , , .227 , , .667 , , 7.6 , , .8 , , .7 , , .3 , , 9.4 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 45 , , 22.5 , , .421 , , .053 , , .417 , , 5.5 , , .7 , , .6 , , .3 , , 6.8 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 38 , , 14.1 , , .380 , , .241 , , .543 , , 3.6 , , .5 , , .6 , , .3 , , 4.7 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

, 35 , , 16.5 , , .497 , , .143 , , .478 , , 4.5 , , .4 , , .4 , , .3 , , 5.8 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 61 , , 24.4 , , .479 , , .143 , , .544 , , 6.9 , , 1.0 , , .9 , , .4 , , 9.3 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 32 , , 24.4 , , .382 , , .291 , , .467 , , 7.5 , , .9 , , .8 , , .7 , , 8.3 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 25 , , 22.3 , , .402 , , .105 , , .440 , , 5.7 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 3.5 , - , align=left , , align=left ,

, 33 , , 25.4 , , .383 , , .264 , , .544 , , 5.7 , , 1.4 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , 6.8 , -class=sortbottom , align=center colspan=2 , Career , 601 , , 27.7 , , .400 , , .255 , , .562 , , 7.4 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .5 , , 10.2

National team career

In 2005, Williams was spotted by then Philippine National Team head coach

after the latter liked the former's work ethic and style of play. Reyes invited him to try out for the Philippine Team. He agreed to it, ensuing his arrival at the local basketball scene. However, the national team was suspended by

FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its na ...

from competing internationally from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, Williams was looked at as a replacement for

Rafi Reavis Rafael Reavis (born July 27, 1977) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Magnolia Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Professional career Reavis first played for the San Juan Knights in the Metropoli ...

in that year's SEABA tournament. He didn't get to play in the SEABA tournament, but he was given permission to play in other tournaments in preparation for the

2007 FIBA Asia Championship The 2007 FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the qualifying tournament for FIBA Asia at the men's basketball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing. The tournament was held in Tokushima, Japan from July 28 to August 5, 2007. Particip ...

. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury, but eventually made the team that would compete in the FIBA Asia Championship. That team finished 9th, with him making two game-winning free-throws against China to secure that placement. Williams was again named into the RP Training Pool under Coach

Yeng Guiao Joseller "Yeng" Medina Guiao (born March 19, 1959) is a Filipino professional basketball head coach, politician, commentator and sports commissioner. He is currently the head coach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketba ...

in 2008. The following year, he was cut from the training pool because of his illness. Williams returned to the national team in 2010 for the

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until t ...

. The team was eliminated in the quarterfinals and finished sixth. In 2011, Williams was the starting power forward for the

Smart Gilas The Philippines men's national basketball team ( fil, Pambansang koponan ng basketbol ng Pilipinas), commonly known as Gilas Pilipinas, is the basketball team representing the Philippines. The team is managed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipi ...

national basketball team, who finished 4th in the

2011 FIBA Asia Championship The 2011 FIBA Asia Championship for Men is the intercontinental championship for basketball organized by FIBA Asia that doubles as a qualifying tournament for the Basketball at the Summer Olympics, men's basketball tournament of the 2012 Summer Oly ...

. In the game for 3rd place against South Korea, he missed two free-throws that led to the Koreans getting third place. He was able to play in an exhibition match against NBA stars that year. In 2013, Williams was part of the tallest national team pool assembled at the time. However, he had to back out once again due to his old illness returning. In 2015, Williams tore his

MCL The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3) ...

while training with the team. He was preparing to be called up for the

2015 FIBA Asia Championship The 2015 FIBA Asia Championship was the 28th and last edition of the FIBA Asia Championship in men's basketball in Asia. It was organised by FIBA Asia. At the FIBA Asia Congress held in Doha, Qatar, the Central Board awarded the hosting rights to ...

. In 2018, Williams was considered a part of the TNT core that would play in that year's

. However, those plans were scrapped after some of his TNT teammates were involved in the

Philippines–Australia basketball brawl The Philippines–Australia basketball brawl occurred between players of the Philippine and Australian men's national basketball teams during a match held on 2 July 2018 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines. The match was part ...

. At 40 years old, Williams returned to the national team for the February window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Personal life

In 2007, Williams met his future wife Erica Waters. They got married the following year. They had two children. They are now divorced. Williams suffers from idiopathic

thrombocytopenic purpura Thrombocytopenic purpura are purpura associated with a reduction in circulating blood platelets which can result from a variety of causes, such as kaposi sarcoma. Types By tradition, the term idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is used when the ...

. He was first diagnosed with the recurring rare blood disorder in 2009. Since then, he has been taking regular medications. In 2012, Williams published his own autobiography, "Rising Higher". In recent years, the book has since been taken off the shelves after major changes in his life.

References

External links

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PBA.ph profile
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Profile
at FIBA website {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Kelly 1982 births Living people American men's basketball players American sportspeople of Filipino descent Asian Games competitors for the Philippines Basketball players at the 2010 Asian Games Basketball players from Detroit Centers (basketball) Citizens of the Philippines through descent Filipino men's basketball players Martin Luther King High School (Detroit) alumni Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball players Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars Philippines men's national basketball team players Power forwards (basketball) Sta. Lucia Realtors draft picks Sta. Lucia Realtors players TNT Tropang Giga players