30 forgotten college basketball stars who flamed out in the NBA

Whatever happened to these 30 college basketball stars who flamed out in the NBA?

NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 28: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (R) of the Kentucky Wildcats greets NBA Commissioner David Stern (L) after he was selected number two overall by the Charlotte Bobcats during the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft at Prudential Center on June 28, 2012 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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Sacramento Kings guard Jason Williams (55) celebrates following the team’s first-round Western Conference Playoff game victory over the Phoenix Suns at America West Arena in Phoenix, AZ. The Kings won, 89-82, to win the best-of-five series. AFP PHOTO (Photo by BRIAN FITZGERALD / AFP) (Photo by BRIAN FITZGERALD/AFP via Getty Images) /

28. College basketball stars who flamed out in NBA: Jason Williams

One of the most exciting players to come out of Florida was Jason Williams, who electrified as a Gator after following his head coach Billy Donovan over from Marshall following his freshman year. Williams lit up the SEC, averaging 17.1 points per game in his first 20 games, but a drug suspension ended his college career.

That suspension led Williams to declare for the NBA Draft, where he was selected seventh overall by the Sacramento Kings. Williams continued to showcase his talent at the NBA level, earning the nickname “White Chocolate” as a rookie, but off-the-court issues continued to plague him.

Incidents involving the use of racial slurs and drugs saw the Kings give up on Williams, who was dealt to the Vancouver Grizzlies in 2001. Williams did well there for a few years before getting into a verbal fight with a columnist after a playoff loss, which saw him get dealt again to the Miami Heat that offseason.

The rest of Williams’ career wasn’t eventful as he was a solid starter for a few years and helped the Heat win their first NBA Championship in 2005. The talent was always there for Williams, but maturity issues off the court prevented him from reaching his true star potential.