Posted May 7, 2004

The first thing you hear about Jerome Williams is the nickname. It usually precedes him wherever he goes.

Junk Yard Dog.

Sounds like a name for a professional wrestler, doesn’t it? As a matter of fact, it is. And Williams is a professional wrestling aficionado, so it fits him to a tee.

And the nickname fits him for the way Williams likes to play the game of basketball: down and dirty. Hard work? Williams is willing to do it with a smile. Dive after a loose ball? Williams is usually the first one on the floor. Pump up his teammates and the crowd with his enthusiastic play? Williams brings all of that to the table.

And, most of the time, he's going to have that devilish smile working too, because he enjoys what he does and he knows how blessed he is to be making a living playing the game he loves.

"It's a lot of fun," Williams says with, what else, a smile. "I just look forward to coming out there and competing. Your teammates can give you that extra little boost of energy that it takes to come out there with that extra added enthusiasm. It just makes the game fun. We're blessed that what we do every day is a fun experience, so even though it has its ups and downs in terms of injuries and hardships and losses and playoff hits and misses, you still play to win and play for that ultimate goal of winning a championship. That's the prize that you always look forward to at the end of the tunnel."

But even when his team isn't playing for a championship, Williams brings the same intensity you see when the NBA is down to just two teams in June. And for Williams' teammates, that kind of intensity can get them going when they're having trouble finding some energy.

"It's contagious," says Bulls guard Jamal Crawford. "It rubs off on everybody. JYD brings a whole other level of enthusiasm that's been needed here. He provides the energy. He's like the energy source for everybody and everybody just feeds off of him."

Looked upon as a team leader, Williams’ obvious love for the game of basketball has helped set a positive tone for the Bulls.

"It's a valuable thing to have on the team. There have been guys throughout the league … Bo Outlaw has been that type of guy in the past. Any time you talk to coaches or management that has had them, if they lose them, they hate losing them, because they do bring that type of enthusiasm."

Where does Williams get his energy? He's been a relentless player for as long as he can remember, but especially when he got to Georgetown and played for two seasons in the famed Hoyas system.

After being a 6-2 point guard for much of his high-school career, Williams sprouted to 6-9 prior to arriving at Georgetown, so he knew he had to bring some intensity to the interior to live up to the play of Hoyas past.

"You had to be intense," Williams says. "I grew up watching Georgetown basketball, and I used to always love their press and how hard they played on defense. So, when I got there, I already knew what I was going to be asked to do.

"I'm happy, not only for myself but for all the Georgetown players. Our defense has transcended right into the NBA. With Allen Iverson being an NBA defensive player, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, the great Patrick Ewing leading the way, it's just something that we've all been able to attach to and help further our careers."

And, unlike few other players, Williams definitely feeds off his fans — especially those that know to bark at him to show their love and appreciation for his play.

Everywhere he's been Williams’ Junk Yard Dog persona — which is definitely what it is — has gained him a multitude of fans. As Williams himself says, there's always a Dog Pound waiting for him wherever he goes.

Of course, it wasn't until his rookie year in Detroit that he gained the Junk Yard Dog nickname. Thanks to veterans Rick Mahorn and Grant Long, Williams suddenly had a nickname to fit his personality, and something for fans to attach themselves to. Much like the pro wrestlers that he loves, Williams does turn into a different person when he gets on the court. One of the most obvious differences is his socks, which he only pulls up high when he's playing in an official game. At practice or shootaround, Williams' socks stay low. But, come game time, the socks go up high, just like Williams' intensity.

He may not be the most talented player on the court, but no one is going to out-hustle Williams, who still has speed from his days of playing guard and who can usually out-quick power forwards that he faces. That's why he'd prefer to be a power forward rather than a small forward, if given a choice.

"I'd rather mix it up inside," Williams admits with a smile. "I'd rather play power forward because quickness can usually outweigh strength in terms of that position — as long as you know how to play it smart. Whereas the small forward spot, it's a little bit tougher if you're not able to post-up the guards at the other end and wear them down on offense. So I'd rather play the 4."

Honored by The Sporting News as one of its “Good Guys” in sports in 2001.02, Williams has always played an active role in the community.

"It feels good [to see Williams streaking down the court with you]," Crawford says. "You know you're always going to have somebody running with you. He's running so hard, on both ends, and he plays hard. He plays every game like it's his last. He doesn't care about getting floor burns or diving on the floor. He really gets the crowd into it every game."

"That makes it easier for me [to have point guards pushing the ball up court]," Williams says. "Up-tempo, running is my number one suit for this game, and having Jamal and Kirk [Hinrich] out there pushing the ball, being active, getting the ball out there on the break, that's very helpful to me."

Help is something that Williams is always willing to give, especially off the court. Another reason for his great popularity is his off-the-court work in the communities that he plays in.

In Detroit, Williams founded Positive Shades of Black, which provides educational incentive programs to young people in the metropolitan Detroit area. When Williams was dealt to Toronto, he took his love for off-court work to the Great White North, becoming one of the most popular people in Toronto for all of his dedication to young people.

Now in Chicago, Williams is continuing that work, participating in the Read To Achieve program, among others. Williams even turns his nickname into a positive message, with the initials JYD becoming “Just be yourself, You should set goals and Do your best.”

"It's very important [to do work in the community], because there are a lot of kids out here that need to hear a positive message," Williams says. "Not only about the game but about having faith in the Lord and that sort of thing. I think that's something I bring to my game outside of basketball."

One of 55 grandchildren in his family, the Washington D.C. native was a college teammate of 76ers star Allen Iverson and Knicks center Othella Harrington.

Not only is Williams one to give to the community tirelessly, he also doesn't drink or smoke, and prefers spending time with his wife, Nikkollette, and their three children, Gabrielle, Giselle and Sherae, to heading out to the next party.

And how many players, Rodman or otherwise, write an open letter to fans as Williams did to Chicago Bulls fans, telling them about himself and what he believes in.

Williams definitely realizes the responsibilities he has to the fans that help contribute to his paycheck, and he knows that there's more to life than the basketball court.

For the first couple of months after he arrived in Chicago, there were rumors that the Bulls were going to send Williams packing yet again. Prior to the February trade deadline, many had a deal to Philadelphia already a certainty, but Williams remained a Bull and sounds like he's going to be one for a while.

"There's always a lot of rumors [around trade deadline time]," says Paxson. "There was some discussion, but I'm not going to easily give up on a guy like Jerome. He’s a very good complementary player, and I think as we get better as a team his value will show more and more. He's well liked by everyone, everywhere he goes. He's that type of guy, and I don't think you can have enough of that.

"I really see his professionalism every day. Both he and Antonio [Davis] that was one of the things in getting them. We need professional attitudes and how they approach the business of their job. And some days I think our young kids respond to that, and some days we're trying to get them to respond a little bit better. But Jerome's a pro, and pros are valuable in this league."

For Williams, the trade rumors were just a part of the game, especially after he's already been dealt twice in his career, which is nearing the end of its eighth season.

"It's a little tough," Williams says of the rumors. "It's always tough when you get traded from a city you love in Toronto, and then coming here and not knowing if you're going to stay here within a couple months. It was tough, but you've got to be able to stay mentally prepared and know that it's a business and be able to take the good with the bad and play through all adversity."

Then, as usual, putting his positive spin on things, Williams sums it up: "One thing's for sure. No matter what city I'm in, the Dog Pound's still with me, so I've got to go out there and be JYD."

By Mark Rich