It is hard to believe former Sixer Lou Williams is finishing up his 10th NBA season. The 28-year old received the highest honor of his pro career on Monday when he was named Sixth Man of the Year.
Williams is with his third NBA team following his departure from Philadelphia. He signed with the Hawks in 2012 and was traded from Atlanta to Toronto last June. With the Raptors, Williams found a similar role he had with the Sixers, coming off the bench to score a career-best 15.5 points in 25.2 minutes a game.
Williams played in 80 games, all as a reserve. He has always had a knack for getting a basket in a big moment or getting to the foul line. He shot 86.1 percent from the foul line this season. It is interesting to note that there were two players in the regular season who averaged fewer than 26 minutes but attempted 4.9 or more free throws -- Williams and Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas finished runner-up to Williams in the Sixth Man voting.
The Sixers selected Williams with the No. 45 pick in 2005. At the time, he was coming out of South Gwinnett High School in Snellville, Ga. Williams spent most of his first two years in the league watching his childhood idol, Allen Iverson, who received the bulk of the playing time.
For the past eight seasons, Williams has averaged double-figures in points. He is in the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the Hawks when he could not come to terms with the Sixers in the summer of 2012.
Two years ago, Williams suffered a torn ACL. He returned to action last year with the Hawks, but like many athletes who come back from injury, it was this season that the old Lou Williams resurfaced.
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Williams and the Raptors play Game 2 of their first-round series with the Wizards on Tuesday night. Washington won the opener in overtime.