When the news came out last week that Jason Williams had hired

an agent, his Duke career was officially over. Sure, he had already stated he

was leaving anyway and I doubt many Duke supporters expected him to return. The

hiring of an agent was just an official seal on a closed door. Jason's college

career, was now "officially" over as it was now beyond the point of no return.

And what an amazing college career it was. Not to mention way

too fast. It seems hard to believe that Jason was in Durham for three years.

Three great seasons of Duke basketball that produced records of 29-5, 35-4, and

31-4. Three seasons that produced three ACC Championships and one NCAA

Championship. Three seasons of conference dominance, at times individually

dominating performances and many, many great memories. Some of which I'll be

recalling in this piece. Jason surely etched his name on a very high list of all

time Duke greats. Though his beginnings didn't exactly indicate that that would

be a possibility.

Arriving at Duke in 1999, Jason found a Duke program in some slight turmoil.

Duke had lost 5 of it's top 8 players from the previous seasons 37-2 squad that

lost to UCONN in the NCAA finals. To add to that, the top assistant Quin Snyder

left for a head coaching job at Missouri and head man Mike Krzyzewski had to

undergo hip replacement surgery in the spring of 1999. Jason was part of Duke's

number one ranked recruiting class, but they would be joining only three

returning veterans. Shane Battier, Nate James and Chris Carrawell. little used

reserve Matt Christenson would also be eligible to play after a two year Mormon

mission in 1997 and 1998 and redshirting in 1999. Needless to say many Duke fans

were deeply concerned about the team entering the 1999-2000 season. And those

fears only grew when the team started 0-2 in New York in the Coaches vs. Cancer

games. That was when we saw a young Jason Williams for the first time. He was

talented, that was obvious. He was very quick, surprisingly strong and powerful

force.

vs. Illinois in Chicago on November 30th 1999. Jason scores 17

points, grabs 7 rebounds and dishes out 7 assists while outplaying Illinois

guard Frank Williams who finished with 14 for the game and only 3-10 from 3

point land. Duke won 72-69 and though Jason's turnovers continued to be high

(he had 6) this was his first solid all around game at Duke.

vs. DePaul in Durham on December 11th 1999. Perhaps more

impressive than Jason's near triple double (15 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists)

was the fact that he played 45 minutes. He never came out, including the

overtime. And his team needed him for every one of those minutes. Duke pulled

out the 84-83 overtime win for their 39th consecutive home victory. Freshman

Nick Horvath hit the game winner with 14.6 seconds to play.

vs. Michigan on December 19th 1999. Though this was Carlos

Boozers coming out party, Jason was sensational also. Pouring in 17 points and

5 rebounds. But it was his 8 assists that was perhaps the most impressive. He

set up Boozer for some easy shots inside with some incredible lightening quick

passes to the interior as Duke got the 104-97 win.

vs. Wake on January 22nd, 2000. A Duke win would give Duke an

ACC record 28th consecutive regular season league win. And thanks in large

part to Jason Williams 19 points, 3 boards and 3 assist effort Duke would get

the 75-61 win. Jason was 8-10 from the field and 3-5 from 3, one of those

coming at crucial moment. With only 5:50 remaining and Duke up 56-50, he

nailed one from in front of the Duke bench which gave the Devils a 9 point

lead and helped put the nail in Wake's coffin.

vs. FSU in Cameron on February 16th 2000. Jason scores 19

points, 2 rebounds and dishes out 5 assists for the 101-68 Duke win. He was an

impressive 8-12 from the field.

vs. Clemson at Clemson on March 1st 2000. Five Duke players

score in double figures as Duke gets the 92-78 win, Jason scores 16, pulls

down 7 rebounds and dishes out 8 assists.

Jason would close out Duke's 2000 ACC season in impressive

fashion in the ACC Tournament. He would become only the fourth freshmen in ACC

history to be named MVP of the ACC Tournament. in Taking on Clemson, Wake Forest

and then Maryland in the title game Jason scored 14,16 and 23 points

respectively while grabbing a total of 9 boards and dishing out 27 assists in

the three games. The Championship at that time was Duke's 11th in school

history:  Duke vs. Clemson- 94-63, Duke vs. Wake-- 82-73, Duke vs. Maryland

--81-68

Jason did average 12 PPG in Duke's three NCAA Tournament games

that season though he did not shoot well or play as well as he had in the ACC

Tournament he had already established himself as a legit conference performer

and a sure threat to challenge for ACC and National Player of the Year honors

down the road. He averaged 14 points as a freshmen, but the best was definitely

yet to come.......

Duke entered the 2000-2001 season as a consensus top 2 rated team. Much was

expected of senior Shane Battier, and he delivered as usual. But it was one of

the most impressive sophomore campaigns ever by the point guard that really

caught everyone's eye. Jason Williams would have one of the greatest individual

seasons in Duke history and ACC history. Taking his game to an entirely new

level from the previous season. Gone was the unsure Williams who got way ahead

of himself at times as a freshmen and was somewhat erratic shooting the ball.

Clearly he had honed his jump shot during the summer as it was lethal in his

sophomore campaign. Jason not only improved his shot,(35 to 42% from 3) he took

his entire overall game to another level. Driving the ball, decision making,

quickness, and strength. Everything was improved, with the exception of defense

and shooting free throws. Jason would set a single season scoring record at Duke

in 2000-2001, scoring 841 points breaking Dick Groat's single season scoring

record for a sophomore.

Jason's first four games of the season were played in the

pre-season NIT Tournament. He scored only 59 points in the first four games,

but it was his assist numbers that really showed his dramatic improvement. His

decision making had grown immensely from the previous year and it was evident

early. Jason would tally assist totals of 34 in the four games against

Princeton, Villanova, Texas and Temple and a week later, he would destroy

Temple with his offensive game.

vs. 9th ranked Illinois in Greensboro. Nov. 28th 2000. In what

would become #1 Duke's first win over a top ten ranked team since defeating

Michigan State at the 1999 Final Four. Jason Williams scored a game high 23

points and dished out 7 assists in helping Duke capture the 78-77 win.

vs. Temple in Phillie on Dec. 2. 2000. Jason Williams was

amazing, scoring a career high 30 points and hitting 10-12  3-point baskets.

Duke won 93-68 in a game that set a new college basketball attendance record

for the state of Pennsylvania.

vs. Davidson in Cameron on Dec. 5, 2000. Jason follows up his

Temple offensive assault with another one. Hitting 9-12 field goals (4-7 from

3) and scoring 25 points, with 4 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Duke won

102-60.

vs. Stanford in California on Dec. 21st 2000. It was clear

early on in the game that Stanford had no one who could stop Jason. He was

simply too athletic for anyone on the Stanford team to deal with. Jason scored

26 points and dished out 5 assists for the game. Jason at one point banked in

a turn around 3 at the end of the first half to give Duke a 13 point halftime

lead. Unfortunately, Duke lost momentum in the second half as Stanford stormed

back after Duke got into some foul trouble. The Cardinals won 84-83.

vs. FSU in Tallahassee on Jan. 4th 2001. Duke's ACC opener saw

Williams score 26 points grab 4 rebounds and dish out 5 assists in a 99-72

Duke win. FSU had lost in the National Title game in Football the previous

night, which explained the terrible 4,337 crowd attendance for the Duke game.

Basketball attendance at FSU is normally weak, but not usually for Duke games.

vs. Virginia in Cameron on Jan 13th 2001. A 42 point Duke win

as Jason achieved a double-double. 17 points and 10 assists.

vs. Boston College in Cameron on Jan. 20th 2001. Jason scored

34 points, dished out 9 assists and was 5-10 from 3 and 12-19 from the field.

Duke won 97-75.

vs. Wake in Cameron on Jan. 24th 2001. Rumors had abound on

the internet the day of the game that Jason had a fractured foot and would be

out for several weeks. They turned out to be false as Jason scored 27 points,

hit 5-8 from 3 and and was 9-17 on field goals helping Duke capture the 85-62

victory.

vs. Maryland in College Park on Jan 27th 2001. The infamous 10

points in 54 seconds comeback. With Duke down 10, Jason took over. Hitting a

lay-up and two 3-point baskets to cut it to two. Nate James tied it with two

free throws to send it to overtime. Duke pulled it out in the OT 98-96 in what

would become not only the most talked about game of the season, but one of the

most talked about in Duke history. Jason had 10 turnovers, but his 25 points

and late game heroics made it possible for his team to win. This was game was

all about the heart of Jason Williams and the amazing leadership and toughness

of Shane Battier.

vs. UNC in Cameron on Feb. 1, 2001. Duke lost a heartbreaker

83-85 when UNC's Haywood hit two free throws late. But Jason was spectacular

once again with 32 points 4 assists and 2 steals.

vs. Georgia Tech in Cameron on Feb 21st 2001. Shane Battier

Jersey retirement day saw Duke rout Tech 98-54. Jason scored 25 and dishes out

6 assists.

vs. UNC in Chapel Hill on March 4th 2001. Carlos Boozer was

out, things looked bleak. But Mike Krzyzewski instituted a new offense and let

his players play with total offensive abandon. Jason was unstoppable, scoring

33 points and handing out 9 assists. He made it seem as though UNC guard Ron

Curry wasn't even on the court. Jason did anything he wanted.

vs. UCLA in the NCAA sweet 16 on March 22nd 2001. One of the

most dominating individual performances ever by a Duke player.  Jason at one

point scored 19 straight Duke points and 34 overall in the game. Shooting 3's

off quick screens, taking it to the basket with explosiveness, he put on a

clinic in helping Duke get the 76-63 win. Jason would score 28 vs. USC in the

next game and was named MOP (most outstanding player) of the East Region.

Jason's performance in the two final four games were less than

stellar. He was 3-20 from 3-point range in the two games and was somewhat

reckless and out of control in the title game. But there were two shots that he

hit which deserve the highlight list. Duke trailed Maryland by 22 points in the

first half of the national semi-finals and had to claw their way back. In the

second half with 6:52 left to play Jason hit his only 3 point shot of the game

to give Duke their first lead of the game at 73-72. They would end up winning by

11.

Against Arizona, Jason hit a shot that will be forever

remembered and celebrated by Duke fans. With Duke leading 77-72, Jason nailed a

clutch 3-point shot with 1:45 to go. Coach K had called the play, which Jason

admitted later that he was unsure of taking because he had struggled shooting

all game. It was Coach K's never ending belief in his players that set the stage

for the shot, but it was Jason's amazing heart and courage that led to the

basket. When he hit that shot, I don't think I was alone in thinking that "it's

over", Duke had it.. They had a 3rd National Championship....

They were 2001 NCAA Champions.. And Jason was returning for one more season.

Jason entered his junior year with a bevy of expectations given the amazing

sophomore season he had. His ability to single handedly dominate basketball

games had become old news, and living up to lofty expectations would prove

somewhat difficult without Shane Battier there as the steady anchor and backbone

of the team. Jason averaged a still impressive 21.3 points per game as a junior.

But his 3-point shooting declined a bit, (42 to 38%) his assists and turnovers

declined but this is not surprising given the different role that Jason played

on the 2002 Duke Basketball team. Early in the season, with the team not quite

gelling right and other teams keying in on Jason, Mike Krzyzewski decided to

switch Chris Duhon to the point position and allow Jason to roam free at the

2-guard spot. This would allow Jason to focus on his scoring and less on having

to run the team and yet trying to score at the same time. Jason scored 746

points his junior year, nearly 100 points down from the previous seasons scoring

record.

Duke squeaks out a

72-71 win in the first game of the season vs. Seton Hall in the Maui

Invitational in Hawaii on Nov. 19th 2001. Jason Williams scores 21 of his 27

points in the second half and made the key plays in the final seconds to seal

the Duke win. Jason hit 1 of 2 free throws with 7 seconds to go and then got a

crucial steal at the end.

vs. Iowa in Chicago on Nov. 27th 2001. In a hyped nationally

televised match up vs. a pre-season top 10 Iowa team. Jason scored 25 points

and dished out 5 assists while going 8-13 from the field. Duke won 80-62.

vs. Temple in Cameron on Dec. 5th 2001. A double-double for

Jason with 26 points and 10 rebounds as Duke routs the Owls 82-57.

vs. Michigan in Ann Arbor on Dec. 8th 2001. Duke's first

televised game on CBS of the then young season and a career high for Jason as

he scores 35 points hitting 7-11 from 3-point range as Duke defeated the

Wolverines 104-83. Afterwards Mike Krzyzewski said of Jason: "Jason is as

talented as anybody I've coached, there's no question."

vs. Kentucky in New Jersey on Dec 18th 2001. Mike Krzyzewski

said it best when talking about Jason: "He was phenomenal, he put on one of

the really sensational performances under pressure that you're going to see."

He was talking about Jason's career high 38 points. In a game in which the

junior scored 23 of his team's final 31 points in regulation to lead Duke to a

95-92 overtime victory. With Duke down double digits, early in the second

half. Coach K took his starters out. When they returned after less than 4

minutes they had gotten the message that they needed to pick it up. Jason

single handedly led the rally, drilling 3-pointers from all over the court.

Sometimes with a hand in his face. He was far and away the best player on the

court.

vs. Maryland in Durham on Jan.17th 2002. A much hyped game

between two top ten ranked teams and Jason Williams was once again unstoppable

scoring 34 points and hitting 13-23 from the field. He also found the time to

dish out 8 assists, grab 7 rebounds and get 3 steals. And he scored that 34

only hitting one 3-pointer. Jason was determined that guard Steve Blake who

had achieved almost Urban Legend status for allegedly "shutting down" Jason in

the past was not going to help further that belief. Jason continually drove

the ball, breaking down Blake off the dribble and forcing Maryland's big guys

to collapse down low. No one had an answer for him and Duke spanked the Terps

99-78.

vs. Virginia on Jan 27th 2002 in Cameron. Jason scores 27

points, grabs 6 boards and dishes out 6 assists as Duke defeated the Cavs

94-81.

vs. Georgia Tech on Feb. 9th 2002 in Atlanta. Jason hits for

28 points and 8 assists and was a surprising 7-7 from the free throw line as

Duke won 95-63 as Jason played his final game vs. Georgia Tech.. He never lost

to the Yellow Jackets.

vs. Wake in Winston on Feb. 21st 2002. Duke routs Wake 90-61,

Jason pours in 26 points and goes 10-18 from the floor.

vs. UNC in Cameron March 3rd 2002. Jason's final home game, a

game that saw him in tears at center court as he was introduced to the crowd

for the last time. The emotion didn't disturb his game as he went out in grand

style with yet another 30+ point game. Jason hit for 37 points which included

8-15 on 3-point shots in helping Duke destroy arch-rival UNC 93-68. Indeed one

of the all time great senior day performances at Duke. Jason afterward

reflected: "It all kind of hits you at once, It's not fair to you, to your

coaching staff and to your fans to hold all those emotions back. You have to

let everybody know that you care and that you are going to give everything you

have your last time out there."

vs. NCSU in Charlotte on March 10th 2002.(ACC Championship)

Jason goes out in ACC style with a double-double (24 points, 10 assists) as

Duke garnered their 13th ACC Tournament Championship in school history,

defeating State 91-61.

The NCAA Tournament would end on a somewhat similar note as it

did in 2000 for Jason Williams. A sweet 16 and struggling a bit from the field.

In Duke's three NCAA Tournament games vs. Winthrop, Notre Dame and Indiana,

Jason went 18-48 from the field. The shot just wasn't there. As painful for Duke

fans as the Indiana loss was, Jason still deserves a standing ovation from all

of us.

We just witnessed one of the greatest college careers ever by a guard in the

ACC. We we're treated to endless twenty and thirty point games, MVP awards,

National Player of the Year awards, dazzling moves, endless net cutting and not

to mention one very classy young man who represented his school and league in

fine fashion. We should all be thankful that Jason Williams wore a Duke uniform.

He was simply.....Amazing.