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Sam Jones, Celtics Hall of Famer dies at 88

If you read Sam Jones’s Wikipedia page, you will learn that his nickname during his 12-year career with the Boston Celtics was “The Shooter.”

There’s no question the Hall of Famer was one of the best jump shooters in NBA history. But among those who knew him — his teammates, his coach, Boston media, and fans — his nickname was “Banksie.”

That’s because no one — before or since — made the bank shot into an art form the way Jones did. Of course, almost no one ever called him “Jones” because he wasn’t the only Jones in a backcourt that won 10 NBA titles in 12 seasons. K.C. Jones was his running mate for nine of those 12 seasons. Red Auerbach, their coach, called them “The Jones Boys.”

Sam Jones died Thursday night in Boca Raton, Fla., at age 88. He’d been in poor health this year, finally being forced to give up golf, a game he loved playing — and playing well — into his mid-80s.

A wiry 6-foot-4, Jones scored 15,411 regular-season points in his career — 17.7 per game. Given his ability as a shooter, one wonders how many points he would have scored had the three-point shot existed while he was playing. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 18.9 points in 154 playoff games.

His story was one that could have been made into a Disney movie. He grew up in the Jim Crow South, playing high school ball in a tiny gym that was heated by stoves at each end of the court. He was recruited almost exclusively by Historically Black Colleges and Universities because the so-called big-time schools in the South weren’t recruiting Black athletes when he graduated from high school in 1951. He went to play for John McLendon at what was then the North Carolina College at Durham — it is now North Carolina Central University. Midway through college, Jones enlisted in the Army; he spent two years there and returned to complete his degree.

When he graduated in 1957, the Celtics had just won their first championship under Auerbach, led by a rookie center named Bill Russell. There were no scouts or even assistant coaches back then, so Auerbach relied on friends to advise him on college players.

Wake Forest Coach Bones McKinney, who had played for Auerbach when Auerbach coached the Washington Caps of the Basketball Association of America, told Auerbach about Jones, whom he’d seen play during his college career.

The Celtics had the last pick of the first round. Sight unseen — as had been the case a year earlier with Russell — Auerbach drafted Jones.

“I’d been drafted by the Lakers while I was in the Army, and I figured that’s where I was going,” he told me last year. “When I heard the Celtics had taken me, I wasn’t that happy about it. They were the world champions and had everybody back from that team. No one left as a free agent back then.”

Jones was the only rookie on that team, beating out three-year veteran Dickie Hemric for the last spot on the roster. Hemric had played at Wake Forest — for McKinney.

Reaed full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/01/01/feinstein-sam-jones-red-auerbach/

Williams Says Opponent’s Mailer Misleading – Accuses Voss of Desperate, Deceptive Tactics

DALLAS—Judge Staci Williams, candidate for Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday, said a mail piece distributed by her opponent, Brandi Voss, was misleading, while Williams’ campaign officials said the mailer further shows Voss is unready for Texas’ highest civil court.

NAACP Tyler chapter hosts Citizen Civil Academy

District Court Judge Staci Williams teaches the CCA in the hopes of improving the public’s knowledge of the civil legal system.

TYLER, Texas — The Tyler NAACP hosted 101st District Court Judge Staci Williams for her Citizen Civil Academy Thursday evening.

“It’s a program that I created to educate citizens about the civil court process and civil issues I found when talking to individuals,” Williams said. “All they think of the legal system is the criminal justice system.”

The goal of Williams’ free event was to give people a greater understanding of the civil justice system.

“I want them to understand that the government works for them and there are resources that are available for them that they don’t know anything about,” Williams said. “So we have a big packet of information over 30 some pages, take that back, share it with your community. The more enlightened people become, then they’re more likely to want to participate in the government, as in jury service.”

This is the first time Williams has brought her course out of Dallas County.

She plans on taking the CCA to El Paso next, and funds it entirely with her campaign funds.

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/naacp-tyler-chapter-hosts-citizen-civil-academy/501-c6b26348-6d4b-4a54-82c6-88d0272db784

Texas Supreme Court candidate Staci Williams visits Big Spring

DALLAS–Judge Staci Williams (D-Dallas), candidate for Texas Supreme Court, Place 7, on Monday called out her opponent for continuing to spread false and misleading information concerning alleged endorsements by the Dallas based Committee for a Qualified Judiciary.

Williams, a sitting state district…

Dallas Morning News Recommends Staci WIlliams in the Democratic Primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7

DALLAS–Judge Staci Williams (D-Dallas), candidate for Texas Supreme Court, Place 7, on Monday called out her opponent for continuing to spread false and misleading information concerning alleged endorsements by the Dallas based Committee for a Qualified Judiciary.

Williams, a sitting state district…

Judge Staci Williams for Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7

Judge Staci Williams for Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7