Similar to the likes of Jamal Crawford, Ray Williams wasn’t a prototypical point guard. Rather, he preferred scoring over dishing, a characteristic that served him quite well during his days with the Knicks.
With averages of 16.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, Williams actually managed to find a nice balance between looking for his own shot and facilitating for others, a trait not many floor generals are capable of achieving.
He had a terrific mid-range game, one in which he’d come off screens and fire away no matter the defense. Or, he’d simply dribble to his sweet-spot and let fly from there. It was the fear of his jump shot that allowed him to drive to the lane and finish at the rim with an array of acrobatic stunts and moves.
Because of his great abilities putting the ball in the basket, Williams naturally attracted more than one defender. It didn’t matter, because he’d still manage to find the open man, whether that meant a simple pass out of a double team to the wing or knowing where his teammate was without even looking and dishing a no-look pass for an easy bucket.
When it comes to point guards of any era, they’re normally placed within either one of two categories: Scorer or assist-man.
Williams wasn’t elite at one or the other, but he proved pretty good at both. He was someone who’d look to score more often than not, but also was a guy who could pick apart defenses with his playmaking if the situation called for it.