John Williams, popular 6th man with Cavaliers, dies at 53

Citing Bartelstein, Pluto noted Williams was diagnosed six months ago before the cancer spread aggressively.

Former Tulane men’s basketball player John “Hot Rod” Williams has passed away, ending a battle with prostate cancer at the age of 53. Williams was among three players initially arrested, but he was never convicted. Williams was the 21st pick of the second round in the 1985 NBA Draft, selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For this career, Williams averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebound per game.

In the postseason, Williams played in 45 games with the Cavaliers, totaled 559 points, 305 rebounds, 95 assists, 45 steals and 53 blocked shots.

He was “obviously a guy who could have started for many teams but had a role as a sixth man in Cleveland and was loved by his teammates”, Bartelstein said.

“The entire Cavaliers family is deeply saddened with the news of John “Hot Rod” Williams’ passing”, the Cavaliers said in a team statement.

John “Hot Rod” Williams #18 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against Dwayne Schintzius #33 of the New Jersey Nets during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 1993 Playoffs played on May 5, 1993 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “He was a hard worker and a great player, but I liked him more as a person than a basketball player”. “He was the kind of talented, unselfish and versatile player and person that earned the respect of everyone around him, including his teammates and opponents, and those who knew and worked with him off the court as well.”Williams was born in Louisiana and was given his nickname by his family for the engine-like sounds he made as he moved about as a baby.

Cleveland fans remember Williams as part of the group that challenged Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls but couldn’t quite get past them in the playoffs.

“Off the court”, the Suns added in their statement, “he was a humble and gracious man, willing to share his time and fun-loving nature with anyone”.