Former NBA forward John ‘Hot Rod’ passes from cancer
Former Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns forward John “Hot Rod” Williams has lost his battle with cancer.
2015 hasn’t been kind to former NBA players, as we’ve seen many recent stars pass away well before their time this past year. The news got a little bit worse on Friday, as it was learned that John “Hot Rod” Williams had joined the ranks of Moses Malone, Jerome Kersey, and Darryl Dawkins among the former players we said goodbye to this year.
Just two days ago we learned the Williams, 53, had been taken into an intensive care unit in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Williams was fighting for his life against an advanced form of prostate cancer. Apparently, the disease had not been caught until six months prior, but it spread rapidly.
Two days later, and John Williams has lost the most important game of his life, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
John "Hot Rod" Williams, who played 13 years in NBA, passed away from cancer today according to agent Mark Bartelstein. He was 53.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) December 11, 2015
After starring at Tulane during the early 1980’s, and fighting off an accusation of point-shaving while with the University, Williams enjoyed a solid thirteen seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Cleveland Cavaliers. While also making stops in Phoenix and Dallas, Williams played in 887 games and averaged 11 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per night.
Perhaps his biggest claim to fame was signing the largest contract in NBA history in 1989. After inking a seven-year, $26.5 million deal that was scheduled to pay him $5 million in the first season with the Miami Heat, Cleveland matched the deal to keep him with the Cavs. While the status was short-lived for Williams, it nonetheless changed the landscape for salaries in the NBA.