During the remainder of the Timberwolves' offseason, we will run a series called Forgotten Wolves Friday. A former Minnesota player will be highlighted who may have become more and more forgotten as the years have gone by since their playing career has ended. This is especially true for the younger generation of fans who weren’t around to see these guys play.
Today’s Forgotten Wolves Friday is point guard Micheal Williams.
Williams had two solid years for Minnesota before injuries sabotaged his career
Born on July 23, 1966, Williams played four seasons in the league before joining the Wolves. He was a little-used rookie in 1988-89 but won a ring with the Pistons. His last season prior to joining Minnesota came in 1991-92 with the Pacers. It was the 6-foot-2 guard’s breakout year as he made the All-Defensive second team while averaging 8.2 assists and 2.9 steals.
Prior to the 1992-93 season beginning, the Wolves acquired Williams in a trade along with Chuck Person while sending Sam Mitchell and Pooh Richardson to Indiana. Williams was inserted as their starting point guard from the get-go. His first year with the Timberwolves saw him average 15.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 2.2 steals.
The following year, Williams saw a slight decrease in his playing time with a slight decrease in his averages as well. He still started 66 games and dished out 7.2 assists per contest.
Unfortunately, he barely played after the 1993-94 season. In the next four seasons for Minnesota, he appeared in only 35 outings. That includes 1996-97 where he was sidelined the whole year. First, it was a foot injury that often kept him off the court, followed by a strained hamstring.
In January of 1999, he was traded to the Raptors. Williams only played two games for them, was released after the season, and never played in the NBA again.
Legacy with the Timberwolves
Micheal Williams is an NBA record holder, and he accomplished it while with the Timberwolves. His 97 consecutive made free throws is still the league record today. He didn’t miss a free throw in any of the last 15 games of the 1992-93 season before finally missing one in the third outing of 1993-94.
His 165 steals in 1992-93 are the third-most in team history for a single season, while his 661 assists that year are the sixth-most. Injuries certainly derailed Williams’ career as he was just 27 years old during his last healthy season in 1993-94. He still provided some of the best point guard play in team history.