The speaker is Corey Williams -- and when Corey speaks street ball everyone listens. Under his nickname “Homicide”, Williams has won everything on the street there is to be won, including Madison Square Garden's inaugural “Last Man Standing” one-on-one competition at two summers ago. The second edition of Madison Square Garden’s Last Man Standing One on One Basketball Tournament, presented by McDonald’s® with apparel by GameoverNYC.com and benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of New York will begin on June 9 with an open registration night on Thursday, May 24 at the McDonald's on 58th St and 8th Avenue. “I’ll be there (to defend),” Williams issues a warning to all challengers. ”I am the defending champion. It’s only right.”

Of course, anyone who wants a shot at Homicide’s crown will need to deal with more than just skills. “Street ball is all about endurance, being in great shape,” he says. ”Plus you need an iron will and determination.to overpower your opponent. You’ve got grind them into the dust.”

In the 2005 semi-finals, Homicide was grinding Big Apple street ball legend “Headache” into the Garden floor in what had to be THE match-up of the tournament. “He’s a good friend,” Homicide says with a smile. “And it was a great match. You never want to do this to a friend but, in the end, you still want to win.”

Homicide will never forget the Finals because “I was down 6-5 but I felt that I was wearing him down. Then I summoned some energy from who knows where and won it with a long three-point jump shot.” And, as much as Homicide flaunts the ill-est all-around skills, the jump shot is still the most questionable part of the package, a relative weakness that may have kept him from the NBA. At least so far, anyway.

“Before and after every practice, I shoot several hundred “J”- s,” he says. “When I’m done playing, I want to be able to tell myself that I’ve done everything in my power to get to The Show.”

“I pattern myself after guys like Darrell Armstrong,” adds Williams. “I don’t worry about high school superstars. I follow in HIS footsteps.” The 39 year-old Armstrong was 28 when he made his first full-time splash in the NBA. And he’s still there.

Homicide is 29 right now and, the past two years, he was “thisclose” to making it after having been the last cut in Toronto and going to veteran’s camp with Denver. “(Nuggets Coach) George Karl personally called my agent,” he says. “Everyone in the League knows by now that I have the willpower and the NBA ability. But there are political things in the way, guaranteed contracts and such. The number one thing for a person in my situation is to be in the right place at the right time.”

After playing in France, Sweden, Israel, China, and Germany, the right place for Homicide right now is on the NBDL Dakota Wizards where he averages 14.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as the starting point guard. “With nine games to go, we’re in first place and going for the championship,” he says. “It’s awesome. I’m all about winning.” (Update: Williams and the Dakota Wizards will compete on Sunday, April 29 against the Colorado 14ers in the NBDAL Championship game)

All the winning he’s done has gotten the 6-4 Williams a European shoe contract, the “K1X187 Homicide” shoe. “It’s the first signature shoe contract ever for a player who’s not in the NBA,” he says.

Homicide won the MVP Award at the Entertainers’ Basketball Classic at Rucker Park in 2004 (“I had 26 on Ron Artest,” he recalls) and at the Dyckman Summer League the following year. “And you are going to see me everywhere this summer,” he promises. “EBC, Dyckman, Last Man Standing, you name it. That’s how I got my name, by killing them everywhere. And that’s how you get noticed.”